


Through the Looking Glass

by cyberdigi, MiladyDragon



Series: Dragon-Verse: Series Two [5]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Collaboration, Dimension Travel, Doppelganger, Dragon-Verse, Dragons, F/F, F/M, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2012-09-04
Packaged: 2017-11-13 13:45:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 30,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/504139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyberdigi/pseuds/cyberdigi, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiladyDragon/pseuds/MiladyDragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unknown alien tech brings new friends and new insights.  Written with Cyberdigi on LI, as a crossover and collaboration with her Blue Child Universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One - TARDIS Ianto

**Author's Note:**

> This came over about a year of chats having to do with how her Ianto and mine would react if they suddenly switched places. She came up with the original idea: to have her TARDIS!Ianto and my Dragon!Ianto get exchanged. It was such a brilliant thing we had to do it. 
> 
> I'm posting her chapters, and then mine, and the chapters will be annotated so it's easier to see who wrote what. Also, I've continued the practice of dating chapters that are Dragon-related. 
> 
> I can't do links worth crap, so please check out her universe on LJ. It's great!

 

Ianto closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he listened to the steady rhythm of his partner's sleeping heartbeat. Jack had dozed off during their post-lovemaking cuddling. Ianto did not mind; sleep did not always come easily or peacefully to his lover. Nightmares haunted his mind, making sleep difficult; if not for his immortality, the lack of sleep would have likely caused problems. So he rarely disturbed his lover when he was resting peacefully, if he could help it.  
  
It was a wonderful evening. Jack had declared the need for a date night, to which Ianto only half resisted before agreeing with a warm smile. They had a delectable dinner at an Indian restaurant overlooking the bay and then walked around the Quay, arm-in-arm.  
  
Ianto smiled; many who didn’t know him would never think his lover such a romantic, and, indeed, it was something he grew into in their relationship. However, he sometimes wondered if it wasn’t a new trait at all, and that Jack had just buried it under all of his pain and loss--because when Jack loved, he loved totally, not holding anything back.  
  
By now he should have joined his lover in the land of dreams, but something was…coming.  
  
He had no words for what he felt, only a feeling that something was going to happen. Something soon, and it was…weird.  
  
Which really was a ridiculous way to say it. They were Torchwood; weird was in the job description. But this--this was different. It was more than the Rift or a temporal issue. He had _never_ , not even with Abbadon or the paradox caused by the Master, felt anything like this.  
  
He could only hope that it wasn’t something they couldn’t handle or that people word be hurt. But he had no doubt something was coming.  
  
Hopefully, they were ready.

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

  
While Ianto and Owen were on a retrieval, Jack reclined at his desk, a lazy grin tugging at his lips, as he thought back to his and Ianto’s wonderful date last night.

He had woken in one of his favorite ways, with his lover of nearly 90 years in his arms and his lover’s arms around him.

It had been too long since they had taken time off for just them, just to have a date night. Not to mention in the last week or two Ianto had seemed...bothered. A feeling his lover said he couldn’t quite explain; this was not unusual, being half-TARDIS meant he could experience the world and time very differently from other life forms.

He just hoped that Ianto’s feeling was not a bad sign and that whatever it was would soon be here and then over with.

He was brought out of his musing by Ianto hailing him on the comms.

“Jack, I think you and Tosh need to get down here; the tech looks like it could be a problem.”

“Oh? Something you can’t handle?” he said with a hint of mischievousness in his voice, before continuing, “Is the tech that dangerous or something?”

“No, not that we can discern at the moment at least,” Ianto responded, unfazed. “It appears to be a black box with a button on top.”

“Really, that shouldn’t be anything you two can’t handle,” Jack replied, confused.

“The button is _mauve_.”

“We’ll be right there,” Jack said, rushing out the door.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

  
Jack and Tosh joined Ianto and Owen in the empty field onto which the tech had been deposited.

“So, a box with button warrants calling in the cavalry?” Owen asked.

“A _mauve_ button. It’s the intergalactic symbol for distress; this is the intergalactic version of a red button and red buttons are usually not a good thing,” Jack explained.

As Jack was explaining, Ianto made his way over to the tech, crouching within a foot of it to more closely inspect it without touching it.

“There’s no telling what would happen if the button was pressed; as of now, this is to be considered highly dangerous tech until we have a better idea of what it does,” Jack continued as he kept a close eye on his lover, who stood and began stepping away from the box.

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped Ianto, completely blocking him from his team’s view.

“ _Ianto_!!!”


	2. Chapter Two - Dragon Ianto

 

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

Ianto felt dizzy, and a blinding light whitened out his vision.  He stumbled, and would have fallen if not for his good sense of balance.   He felt almost as if the world was twisting around him, like he’d been caught up in some sort of whirlwind.  There was also a tingling dancing along his skin, and he thought it might have been some sort of Rift energy, but he couldn’t be certain, and it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. 

He blinked to clear his vision, and before he could completely recover an arm was around his waist, and he was being supported by a familiar body against his.

The dragon turned just enough to meet Jack’s eyes; they were worried and were examining him closely.  “You okay?” he asked.

“I think so,” he answered.  “I’m just a bit dizzy.  What happened?”

“We’re not sure,” Jack admitted.   “There was a flash…it came from the tech we found, but nobody touched it.  Toshiko is going to try to scan it now to see what caused it.”

Ianto frowned.  Wasn’t Toshiko back at the Hub?  Yes, she was…they’d taken Gwen instead, picking her up on the way from Alice’s to the retrieval point…

Before he could open his mouth to say anything, he realized that something was slightly off.  Jack had started out the day wearing a light blue shirt and waistcoat; now he was wearing a dark shirt and no waistcoat.

Confused, the dragon felt for that itchy sensation he always felt around Jack, remembering what had happened with Bilis Manger and how he’d been manipulated…but the feeling was there, comfortable in the back of his head, just as it always had been.

But no…it was slightly different; a little sharper, a bit stronger.  Ianto was so used to sensing Jack that any change in intensity was almost like a beacon.

What had happened? 

Dizziness hit him, and it was only Jack – not Jack, and yet it was – holding onto him that kept him from falling.  He felt the man tugging him forward, and Ianto went with him, not having much choice.  The recovered alien technology had to have something to do with it, that much was obvious.   

“God, Ianto,” Jack was saying, “I think that beam made rocks teleport into your pockets of something.” 

Ianto’s heart lurched.  His Jack would have known that his human form was just a bit heavier than his actual appearance made him seem.  Yes, his mate had often teased him about it, but there was an edge in this Jack’s voice that made him feel it wasn’t light-hearted ribbing; instead, it made him sound even more worried than he appeared. 

Before he knew it, he was being seated in the back of what looked like the SUV, this Jack’s hands on his hips to steady his slide onto the bench seat.  Looking over the man’s shoulder Ianto could see Toshiko examining what looked like the same box his own team had located. 

But Toshiko had been back in the Hub, and Gwen had been with him and Jack. 

Where was Gwen?

No, a better question was…where was he?  Was this some sort of dream…or somewhere else entirely?  Without evidence, he couldn’t make an educated guess as to what had actually occurred.

This different Jack was staring at him, looking even more worried than before.  He placed his hands on Ianto’s face…and he paled.  “You’re burning up!”

Yet another sign that he wasn’t where he should be.  Jack was well aware that Ianto’s internal flame kept his human body a couple of degrees warmer than a normal person’s.  What was usual for him was fever-hot for an ephemeral.

Jack had often said he loved the fact that Ianto was warmer than an average human. 

But this Jack had no clue about Ianto’s true nature.

This Jack turned away, shouting for Owen.  The last thing Ianto wanted was to have Owen examine him, because the medic would easily notice that he wasn’t human.  The dragon didn’t know what was going on, but he also had first-hand knowledge of what could happen if he was discovered by someone unscrupulous. 

He had no idea who these people were.  Yes, they closely resembled the team he knew, but he wasn’t their Ianto.  How would they react when they discovered he’d somehow switched places with their lover and teammate?  Would they help…or would they imprison him?  Two thousand years of paranoia were hard to break.  Was this more like what he knew of Torchwood Three…or like One, ready to take anything not-human into custody for study?

It was obvious that whoever Ianto Jones was in this place was Jack’s lover.   But would Jack accept that this Ianto – one that was obviously different from the one he knew – was there by accident and not because he wanted to be? 

There were just too many variables.

And the first thing Ianto needed to do was to stave off any sort of physical by Owen.  He’d pick up on the physiological differences in Ianto’s physical make-up immediately.

“I am?” Ianto asked innocently.  “I feel all right though.”

“Let me be the judge of that, Tea Boy,” Owen said, approaching.  “You just got beamed by some weird alien shit and there’s no telling what it’ll do to you.  Just because you’re tougher than the average bear doesn’t mean it won’t have some sort of effect on you.  For all we know, it could’ve been created to eradicate life forms like you.”

That single statement gave Ianto two pieces of information, one of them fairly important.  The first, being that this Owen still called their Ianto ‘Tea Boy’, when his had been calling Ianto ‘Dragon Boy’ for well over a year.  And the second, that the Ianto that he’d seemingly replaced wasn’t quite human, either.

That really still didn’t answer the important questions he had, but he felt a bit more comfortable that, maybe, they wouldn’t dissect him if they found out he wasn’t human.  It also meant he might have a better chance of them believing him if and when he was either found out, or decided he could trust them enough to confide in them.

Jack was still looking very worried, and Ianto knew he’d have to placate him and figure out a way to get out of a complete physical.  It also took away a bit of the hope that this might turn out all right, because if this Jack was as protective as Ianto’s own – and that seemed very likely – then he might be extremely upset to find his lover replaced by a dragon in human guise.

Owen rested his own hand against Ianto’s forehead, making a ‘tsk’ing’ noise.  “Nice fever there. I’d say…about thirty-eight, best guess.  I’ll do a full scan when we get back to the Hub, since you aren’t obviously delirious or anything.  Probably the device jacked up your body temp…no pun intended, Harkness.”

Jack pouted, and Ianto chuckled despite the circumstances he found himself in.  It might be another version of his mate, but nothing really changed.

“Sit here and let us finish up,” Jack went on, stroking Ianto’s cheek in a way that reminded him of how his mate would touch his snout when he was in dragon-form.   Then he tugged Ianto forward slightly and lightly kissed his forehead.  “We’ll figure out what’s going on when we get back to the Hub.”

Jack moved back slightly, enough to look at Ianto with an expression mingling worry and love.  He simply stood there, almost close enough to lean over and kiss him again, and this time the dragon knew it would be on the lips.  Ianto wondered vaguely if it was cheating to kiss another version of his mate, and then decided that it would.

Turning away reluctantly, his hand gradually slipping away from where it had been resting on Ianto’s cheek, Jack joined Toshiko in helping with the strange device.  Owen gave Ianto what could only have been the medic’s version of the stink-eye then went to help.

Ianto sat and watched.  It was like seeing his own team in action, minus Gwen.    It would have been interesting if it wasn’t for the fact that Ianto had to figure out a way to keep Owen away from him with any of his medical gadgets. 

He couldn’t be found out.  Not until he’d had a chance to work out what to do, and where he was. 


	3. Chapter Three - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

As Ianto was engulfed and blinded by the all-encompassing light, the world and time spun around him, and he felt himself move, while remaining stationary.   
  
As the light dissipated and Ianto could see the surrounding area, he knew immediately that something was _different_.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that Jack was in a different position, which could be explained by his lover moving while he couldn’t see; however, Jack also had different clothes on. In addition, Tosh and Owen appeared to be nowhere in sight.  
  
Furthermore, Jack was...something else. For around 86 years he had had a feeling of Jack in his head—his location, his mood to an extent. When he looked at Jack now there was the slight buzz on his senses that came from Jack being a fixed point, but otherwise…nothing.   
  
Not to mention the buzz was also a bit different, almost like it was at a slightly different pitch to his senses, like the difference between a C and C sharp to human ears.  
  
As he was taking in everything, Jack’s raised voice caught his attention.  
  
“How many times do we have to go over this? We DO NOT press buttons!”  
  
This was the most telling thing, _Gwen Cooper_ was standing there, like she belonged, wide-eyed and being yelled at by Jack. Which was more than impossible because not only was she not there, Jack would do everything to keep her away.  
  
Something was _not_ right.  
  
He closed his eyes and did what came as second nature, but with some difficulty: he looked through time.  
  
He saw it all.  
  
Jack, alone for so long.  
  
Owen, still in many ways a jagged, broken man.  
  
Tosh, taking a very different lover.  
  
Gwen Cooper, first hearing of Torchwood during the glove incident.  
  
Gwen, a member of Torchwood.  
  
He looked further; had time changed?  
  
No, the time was always as it was; _this_ time was as it always was.  
  
He had somehow slipped through the veil into another dimension.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
While he was distracted, Jack had finished yelling at Gwen and had come up beside him, placing a gentle, firm hand on his arm.  
  
“I…I’m fine…just…just knocked me for a bit of loop,” he told this version of his lover.  
  
Even if it wasn’t his _actual_ timeline, he still couldn’t see much about this universe’s version of himself, and obviously there was one. Jack and even Gwen were acting as if he should be there.  
  
And it was obvious, both from this Jack's actions and from what he could see of Jack's timeline, that this Jack and Ianto were intimate much like he and his partner.  
  
Damn it, if he could only see some of this Ianto’s timeline at this point. He didn’t know if this was a human version of himself, human with abilities, alien, or mystical creature. All he could assume was that it was very likely this version was _not_ half-TARDIS. He also sadly couldn’t see—perhaps lacking the time or ability right now—the purpose of this Torchwood. If they discovered his true nature, would they try to use him against the Doctor? He couldn't be sure or risk that; he needed time to figure out what this Torchwood really was.   
  
“Gwen, get the tech contained!” Jack yelled, having at least somewhat satisfied himself that Ianto seemed alright.   
  
Jack reached up to this comm.  
  
“Owen, be ready to give Ianto a full exam, the tech was activated and he was caught up in it.”  
  
Ianto could not hear his response; it would seem that the comms were on different frequencies, but he was sure Owen’s response was an affirmative from Jack’s expression.  
  
"No, no, it's really not necessary, Jack; I'm fine, really."  
  
Jack spared him a look that plainly said he didn’t believe him.  
  
“Why don’t we let Owen decide that,” Jack replied, clearly indicating there was no room for debate.  
  
This was not good; his body may be mostly human, but there were some differences, differences he was sure his counterpart from this universe did not share, and his perception filter could only do so much in the face of the tech Owen had at his disposal.  
  
“Come on, let’s get you back,” Jack said quietly, gently guiding him to the SUV.  
  
As he was deposited in the SUV he pondered what had happened. The veil was supposed to be closed. How could it be possible to slip into another dimension with an alternate timeline?  
  
The tech was the only answer.  
  
Now the question was—what to do?  
  
  



	4. Chapter Four - Dragon Ianto

28 June 2008

 

Ianto didn’t say much as the SUV headed toward the Hub.

Really, there wasn’t much to say.

He watched out of the window as Jack drove in his usual bat-out-of-hell way – some things certainly didn’t change – and while some of the sights were the same, others were different. His and Jack’s favorite roosts seemed to all be what he remembered, while it was the businesses that were just a little off. It was enough to reinforce the fact that he wasn’t in his universe any longer.

He needed to have more information. Ianto didn’t know how these counterparts to his teammates would react to know that their Ianto had been replaced, and until he knew more he didn’t want to risk giving himself away. The only problem being was that Owen would be dead-set on checking him out physically after what had happened with the alien device; it was Torchwood protocol, after all. The medic wouldn’t help but notice the physical differences in himself as compared to other humans, his body temperature only one of them, and then the game would be up. 

Ianto didn’t really want to end up on the opposite end of several weapons, even if bullets didn’t really do that much damage. Being shot hurt.

Ianto could feel Jack’s eyes on him every once in a while, and the dragon finally sighed and said, “Eyes on the road, Harkness,” putting as much playfulness as he could into his voice, hoping he could somehow deflect Jack’s scrutiny.

There was a puzzled look in Jack’s eyes, which had Ianto wondering if he somehow hadn’t just given the game away. But Jack simply pouted in response. “But how can I concentrate on the road when I have such gorgeousness sitting next to me?”

“It’s not like you two haven’t been together forever,” Owen snarked from the back seat. 

“They’ve been in the honeymoon phase for decades,” Toshiko teased.

Decades? 

“Doesn’t mean we have to be witnesses!”

“I think it’s sweet.”

“Toshiko’s a romantic at heart,” Jack said. “Sometimes I’m surprised you two even got together.”

“They do say opposites attract,” Toshiko answered, laughing.

And with that, Ianto picked up two very important pieces of information: the first, that this universe’s Ianto and Jack had been mates for a very long time, and it made Ianto wonder just how that was possible…unless this Ianto was also inhuman, which made sense from what Owen had said earlier. An alien, perhaps? Or some other sort of being? He could only say that his doppelganger wasn’t a dragon, since his supposed fever wouldn’t have fazed Jack if he had been.

And the second was that there, Toshiko and Owen were a couple. He wondered just where Kathy Swanson was, and what had happened to Diane Holmes…

It shocked him a bit about Owen and Toshiko. His version of Tosh had once had a crush on the acerbic medic, but that had faded during that time with the mind-reading pendant, when she’d realized just how Owen felt about her. Then Kathy had come along…and that had been that. To be honest, Ianto just couldn’t see the technician and the medic in that sort of relationship. Friends, yes…lovers, no.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Jack swinging into the car park, practically whipping the SUV into its parking space. Ianto’s heart began thumping a bit harder; this was it…this was the point where he would either have to confess that he wasn’t this universe’s Ianto Jones, or to let things run their course and allow Owen to perform his scans, which he wasn’t looking forward to at all. If only he had more information!

Jack was out of the vehicle almost before it had stopped moving, and Toshiko and Owen followed. Ianto unsnapped his seatbelt, and didn’t even have a chance to get his hand on the door handle before it was being pulled open, and Jack was looking at him closely. “You feeling better?” he asked softly, resting his hand on Ianto’s forehead.

“I’m fine, Jack,” the dragon answered. For the first time ever he wished there was some way to smother his inner flame just enough to stop seeming like he had a fever. 

“You’re still really hot,” Jack murmured. “We’ll get you checked –“

Jack was interrupted by a sudden crash from the rear of the SUV, and the sound of Owen cursing. Toshiko spoke as well, and it sounded like she was teasing him. 

Jack rolled his eyes and then headed in the direction of the chaos, leaving Ianto alone. “Stay there,” he called back over his shoulder.

Like Ianto was going to do that. This was his opportunity to do some checking before deciding what path he would need to take.

He was out of the SUV like a shot, and it was sheer luck that the door going into the Hub didn’t have the security on it that he was used to; it opened easily, and Ianto dodged through to the sound of Jack berating Owen for dropping the containment box, and Owen’s sarcastic response.

The layout of the tunnels seemed to be the same, so Ianto headed directly for the Archives, needing to see if he could find out more about the world he’d ended up on. Then he could make an educated decision on what to say to his mate’s doppelganger, one that wouldn’t get him hurt or imprisoned, or both.

The one good thing was that this Jack didn’t know how to kill him. It wasn’t something he’d thought he’d ever consider, and Ianto shuddered at the thought. He’d only ever shown his Jack his one vulnerable spot, just in case, but the very idea that it would ever be used disturbed him.

At least his desk was in the same spot. Ianto eyed the computer on the desk, and then disregarded it, knowing that his counterpart would most likely have different passwords. If the mainframe was anything like his own, the moment he put in an incorrect password Toshiko’s terminal would know it, and that would certainly give him away before he was ready. He couldn’t take the risk.

So he decided that searching the desk would be the best thing to do. The dragon simply wanted to know more about where he was, and about this team he’d ended up with. 

He didn’t find much within the desk, mostly office supplies – although there seemed to be quite a few post-its, and he had to wonder just what his other self had a use for them all – until he reached the lowermost drawer, where he found a set of journals. 

He smiled. How convenient that his double had kept something like that…

Ianto pulled the oldest one out, sat down in the chair and, flipping it open to the first page, he began to read.


	5. Chapter Five - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

As they pulled up into the parking garage in the Hub, Ianto was no closer to an explanation of how he had slipped through the veil.  
  
“Oi, Harkness! Took you long enough; let’s get Dragon Boy looked at.”  
  
Dragon Boy? Could that be a clue to his counterpart’s nature? But...a dragon? Regardless, it seemed he was out of time. He had to put off this exam as long as possible.  
  
As he exited the SUV he closed his eyes and concentrated, ‘ignore me, ignore me, there are other things to take care of.’  
  
He kept up this focus in applying his perception filter as he quietly slipped away and headed into the depths of the Hub.  
  
The Archives would give him the information he needed to know if he was safe among these familiar strangers. And he could also look up more information on Gwen.  
  
He didn’t have a lot of time; he had no doubt that Owen and Jack would overcome his perception filter suggestion.  
  
On his way to the Archives he saw the room where the cyberwoman had been; a soft glow that reminded him of a nightlight was visible.  
  
He detoured. Sure, he was wasting precious moments, but he felt he’d find some answers there.  
  
He stepped into what could only be described as a hoard. He closed his eyes and was immersed in history; some of the items here were a millennia old, and he could lose himself in their stories.  
  
As he pulled himself back from the swirling history around him he found himself drawn to four hand-carved totems.  
  
He extended both himself and a hand to the closest one, and behind his closed eyes he could see the story they wanted to tell.  
  
He could see a dragon, presumably female, standing before a collection of other dragons, with another beside her. It looked very much like a wedding, or what he would call a wedding, at least.  
  
He felt an energy swirling around him in the ceremony—what some would call magic, what others would say is just science not explained.  
  
Suddenly, the female—the name Sabrina came to his mind—looked over at another dragon.  
  
Suddenly he found himself shifting to her perspective and he could feel her affection for this other dragon, brother, fill his mind.  
  
But the longer he looked at this dragon through her eyes, her long-dead eyes—yes, time and humanity had nearly eradicated this majestic species—the more he felt _he_ should recognize this dragon.  
  
Then it came to him.  
  
 _Dragon Boy_.  
  
This dragon was _him_ , or rather this world’s version of himself. And now that he knew this, he felt him separate a bit from this Ianto’s timeline and he could actually see the timeline that had eluded him earlier—well, at least more of it.  
  
As he felt himself withdraw from the totem and step out of the room he could only think the universe could not have chosen two more different Ianto’s to switch.  
  
But as he entered the Archives, he reconsidered.  
  
Yes, physically they were very different, but could he really say how it counted they were different?  
  
Only time would tell.  
  
Finally, he found the files he needed; the charter was of utmost importance.

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“Hey, where’d Dragon Boy go?”

“Huh?” Jack exclaimed, spinning around to look for his mate. “He was just here. Tosh, did you see where he went?”

“No, I can’t say I’ve seen him since you left.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s fine, it’s not like he’s human.”

“I believe _we_ have a conversation about buttons to finish, Gwen. If you can’t be helpful finding Ianto, go wait in my office,” Jack replied with an icy glare.

Gwen pouted before marching to Jack’s office.

“Jack, I just did an internal scan and he seems to be in the Archives,” Tosh notified him.

“You go collect Dragon Boy and I’ll start by looking at what the sensors could pick up when he entered the Hub,” Owen said with a wave of his hand.

Jack grinned as he went to collect his Dragon.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto flipped through the charter and recent reports.

The first thing he realized, much to his relief, was that this Torchwood Three was operating under a similar charter to his, so he did not have to worry about any harm coming to this universe’s version of his Mother and the Doctor.

Next he perused the personnel files, to confirm his earlier observations.

Tosh and Owen, while not together, were actually very similar to his own; they just took longer to find their personal balances.

Gwen, his other major concern, also seemed to be a bit of troublemaker in this universe. Actually, with the exception of that she did not seem to posses any precognitive abilities, she seemed pretty much the same. It would also seem this Gwen shared an obsession for his partner’s counterpart as well. This Gwen, while a nuisance, was relatively harmless.

Jack was, and would always be, Jack. For the most part, that is: this Jack was indeed alone much longer than his partner; it would seem his counterpart joined Torchwood after Alex’s massacre and they didn’t really come together until a few months ago. Linear months, at least—there was no documentation so he couldn’t be sure, but given the roughness he felt when he looked at the spot the paradox occurred, he’d hazard a guess that that awful year happened for this universe, too.

He and his Jack had been together for longer than many humans were alive at this point; his counterpart might be considerably older than he was, but their relationships were in completely different places.

He could not imagine a time when he did not trust Jack; yes, he was cocky and full of himself, but he could never doubt him.

But then again, he remembered when he and Jack had only been together for a few decades. They hadn’t even admitted the full extent of their feelings for over 20 years, both too scared of what the other would say, and then alone once more.

Still, his dragon counterpart and his Jack were in a relatively new relationship when compared to his own; he wondered if there’d be any differences because of this.

So lost was he in his thoughts that he was startled when Jack came up behind him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Weren’t we going to do an exam after the mysterious light from Gwen pressing buttons?” Jack asked with smirk and a hard glint in his eye.

“Oh…uhh…I thought I’d check the Archives for any information on a similar device. Just to make sure we didn’t have any information already.”

The lie was weak to his own ears; and why was he lying, anyway? He knew this Torchwood would not harm him or use him to harm the Doctor.

He didn’t know how to tell this Jack that he was not the same Ianto, was why. For the first time in his life he could truly see the reason why telling the truth from the start was always recommended: because it’s hard to admit the truth afterward.

“What, the mighty dragon can’t remember what’s in his hoard?” Jack asked as he laughed.

Well, if he wasn’t sure before, there was no doubt now; this Jack knew of his Ianto’s nature.

“And why couldn’t you just check the digital Archives from the Hub?” Jack asked after he had caught his breath.

His Mam always did say that when you had made a mistake you should just admit it, this was as good an opening as any.

“Actually…”

As he was about to tell this Jack the truth, Jack raised his hand to tell him to wait as he activated his comm.

“What’s up, Owen?”

Jack turned away as he continued, apparently answering the doctor.

“Okay, we’ll be right up, everything ready?”

After disconnecting the comm Jack turned to him with a smile. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Well, seems we have an impatient doctor waiting for you upstairs.”

Before Ianto could say anything, Jack was ushering him upstairs.  



	6. Chapter Six - Dragon Ianto

 

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

The handwriting was obviously his own, and Ianto had no problem interpreting it…although he wished he had, because that first date just couldn’t be right, if what the first paragraph was implying.

****

****

**_December 1920_ **

_Well, this is certainly different.  After making due with random loose pieces of paper for 15 years, I finally have an actual journal, thanks to Jack._

_Mam always said, when you’re head’s too full, write it down, and Mother also thought it would help.  It always helped me when I felt like I was separated from my peers and family by leagues._

_But now, I’ve come to a new chapter in my life.  In the six months since I’ve found Jack, we’ve become lovers, and I’m settling into Cardiff as well.  I’ve decided to keep out of Torchwood’s sight as long as possible, but it’s pretty definite I’ll find my way into their clutches, much like Jack has…_

_Torchwood has so far to go and to grow…but…but I think Jack and I, no matter what, will take care of each other.  Yes, that seems right.  Yes, that’s definitely right, with all the uncertain possibilities…yes, that is definite._

_The more time I spend with Jack, the more I feel myself drawn to him, and I feel my heart swell.  In this day and age it’s not the safest relationship, but we both know the attitudes will change as the decades pass._

_Well, I suppose that’s enough for now.  Until next time._

Ianto leaned back in his chair, chewing his lip thoughtfully.  So, it looked as if this Jack and Ianto had been together for considerably longer than he and his Jack had been.  He didn’t think this Ianto was a dragon, judging from the tone of the words, but there really was nothing to indicate what exactly he was. 

He wondered just who this Ianto’s ‘Mother’ was.  He felt a bit jealous that he should have his mother still while Ianto’s own had been dead for so long, but he tamped down on it.  He should be happy for the other him.

He idly flipped through the other entries.  Most were just normal ramblings, and he skimmed the hand-written pages, hoping to find something else that would give him any more clues.

 

 

**_March 1924_ **

**** _I realized today that I bonded to Jack.  I can’t decide it he would care or if he’d run…_

_I know he cares for me, when we are together, which admittedly is more often than not.  I can see it, feel it with every fiber of my being.  But every so often his eyes become distant, and I feel him pull away emotionally even though he holds me tighter, and making a comment about maybe taking a break or saying how hot someone is._

_And I can’t decide…can’t_ SEE _if it’s because he doesn’t want anything permanent or if it’s because he’s scared…scared I’ll leave him, too, just like everyone else has._

_I don’t know what to do, but leaving him isn’t an option, not for me at least, and I only hope not for him, too._

Ianto couldn’t help but sigh at this.  It looked as if the other Ianto had mated with this Jack in some way.  It was almost a mirror of his own early relationship with his mate, with all the uncertainty and fear that he’d felt.   He hoped it had worked out, like it had eventually for his Jack and himself.

At least he and this stranger had this in common.  It made him wonder if every Jack in every dimension had some sort of commitment issue.

He finished that journal, and then picked up the second.  It was much the same as the first, although one entry caught his eye:

 

 

**_October 1945_ **

_After over 20 years we finally talked…yes, it was very overdue, but we were both scared._

_But in the end we’ve finally both gotten what we want…each other._

The dragon snorted.  Well, at least it had only taken him and his Jack seven years to work things out.  He felt a bit proud of that, actually. 

There were other entries, one about the other Ianto finally joining Torchwood.  It mentioned them not knowing his true nature, which there really hadn’t been much of a clue of what that was so far in any of the entries.  But then, he shouldn’t expect much; after all, his doppelganger _knew_ what he was; he wasn’t likely to write it down, not if he wanted to keep it hidden.

He kept reading.  Things seemed to follow the same timeline as his and Jack’s life once he got to Alex killing the entire team, although the comment about Alex being deceived that he was in charge was telling.  It looked as if these two hadn’t had the issues with One that he and his Jack had, which in a way was good; Ianto remembered vividly the times that Yvonne Hartman had tried to wrest control of Three away from them, and even though she’d never succeeded it had been a paranoid time for both of them. 

It was in the last journal that Ianto finally found an entry that seemed to spell out much of the mystery that was his double’s life.

****

****

**_8 June 2008_ **

_We have just lived through a year that never happened.  The Master, the only remaining Time Lord, had very nearly destroyed the world._

_My mind is spinning, with the shifts in time, the paradox; I almost can’t tell if I’m coming or going._

_Maybe I should just write it all out._

_Jack found the Doctor, or rather the Doctor stopped for a refuel and then ran when he saw Jack coming.  He should have known Jack wouldn’t let him get away._

_I knew the Doctor would likely hurt Jack when he found him, but that doesn’t mean I’m still not happy with him about it._

_But at the end of everything was where they ended up with their reaction to Jack; they found the Master.  Oh, he had used a chameleon arch but it was him and he did regain his Time Lord self, along with his insanity._

_He stole Mother, and_ GUTTED _her to make a paradox machine.  It hurt her so much; I can’t even begin to describe it._

Ianto had to break off at that point, because the connections were coming fast and furious now.   It was obvious now just what this version of Ianto Jones was: the son of the Doctor’s TARDIS.  It was a stunning development, and one he was having trouble wrapping his mind around.  The dragon hadn’t known what to expect, but this hadn’t even crossed his mind. 

Of course he knew about the TARDIS, and what she was.  He considered just how a sentient time machine could have a child, and his mind refused to come up with anything.  He also doubted he’d be getting any answers from these journals, either.

He turned back to the journal’s contents, needing to read more.

_Mother felt horrible that she’d run from Jack but at that point in her timeline she didn’t realize what she…she and Rose…had done to him, and she wasn’t ready for what he was to her senses._

 

This was different from what Jack had told him; his mate had explained that the TARDIS had managed to let him know that everything that was supposed to happen would, and that Jack had needed to be there.  The Doctor’s ship hadn’t run, _per_ _se_ , but she’d taken him just the same, knowing that awakening the Master needed to happen in order to ensure the timelines.  It didn’t make the Doctor’s actions any easier to deal with, but at least Ianto knew that Jack’s suffering was for some sort of reason. 

That didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

_After that year though she had grown used to him again, and was even more grateful that “her” Jack had destroyed the paradox._

_And, with the destruction of the paradox, that year had never existed and most of the planet doesn’t remember, and the Master is dead, never to harm anyone again._

_But Jack, my wonderful lover and partner, suffered so much for the Doctor.  I am infuriated._

_My lover was hurt by that madman, my Mother was hurt, and the Doctor wanted to save him and keep him on the TARDIS!  My Mother, whom again he hurt.  I…I cannot put into words how angry I am with him at this moment._

_I understand he feels alone, but_ DAMNIT, _if he’d only open his eyes he’d realize he’s not and that he hadn’t been for a very long time._

_I want to stay angry with him until the end of his days, but I can’t do that.  He means too much to the two people I love the most, and if I’m honest I care about him in that abstract ‘distant relative you’ve always hear d about’ way…I’m sure once we meet officially I might even start to care about him like Mother and Jack do, but that’s not today, and I have every right to be angry with the Time Lord, relative or not, and this version of him is a right dick._

_…I’ll probably like the next one, actually._

 

Ianto felt a stab of guilt at having read such personal ramblings, but it put things in perspective for him.   It seemed like that Ianto and himself had more in common than he’d thought; he couldn’t blame the other for being so mad at the Doctor, not when he would carry his anger for centuries toward the Time Lord and his cavalier attitude where Jack was concerned.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes, and then began flipping through the remaining entries.  It looked as if their times were fairly well synched, which was a good thing.  He wouldn’t have to work out the date that way…

The dragon was so engrossed in what he was reading that he completely missed the telltale scratching in is head that usually announced Jack’s arrival, and didn’t realize he was no longer alone until a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders from behind.  “Catching up on some memories?” Jack asked softly, his breath tickling Ianto’s ear.

Ianto let his silence answer that question, as he closed the journal.  Apparently it wasn’t unusual for him to take trips down memory lane.

“And what happened with you letting Owen check you out?” Jack went on.

“Owen is a bloody witch doctor and I wasn’t in the mood to have him shake his rattles and beads at me,” the dragon snarked.  He was well aware of just how this Jack felt like his own, and yet it was foremost in his mind that this wasn’t his mate, that he’d somehow been separated from his Jack by some sort of alien tech.

Jack’s quiet laughter huffed in his ear.  “I’d still feel better if he checked you out.  This fever just isn’t normal.”

Ianto sighed.  This was decision time; he had to either trust this team not to throw him in a cell and help him, or he had to let them be blindsided when Owen’s tests came back.

There was only one decision he could make in this circumstance.

He carefully pulled himself out of Jack’s embrace, then stood up and faced the captain.  “There’s something you should know…”


	7. Chapter Seven - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

Ianto journeyed upward through the corridors to the Hub, his partner’s counterpart close behind.  
  
He really wanted to kick himself.  
  
“Jack, I really do need to tell you something.”  
  
“I’m sure you do, but it’ll have to wait.” Jack’s voice had something, a hard edge almost.  
  
He had a very bad feeling about this.  
  
As they entered the bright lights of the Hub he found himself staring down three guns, and he was sure that behind him Jack had pulled out a gun as well. He raised his hands, holding them apart and making sure they were easily visible by all parties.  
  
“Who are you and what have you done with our Ianto?” Toshiko asked.  
  
He could just hear his lover lecturing him on sharing things sooner…again.  
  
“I haven’t done anything with him,” he said, keeping his voice as steady as possible.  
  
“Then where is he?” Jack asked from behind. In his mind Ianto could see him, eyes narrowed, gun aimed. Basically, a pissed-off Jack.  
  
“I would presume, hope, he is where I’m supposed to be, with my team. I _am_ Ianto Jones, just not _your_ Ianto.”  
  
“That’s bloody obvious from the internal scans,” Owen said acidly.  
  
At least some things never changed.  
  
“This is what I get for not looking better,” he mumbled under his breath.  
  
As he heard the Captain’s gun behind him he rushed to finish.  
  
“I mean no harm. I presume the tech caused this. My team was retrieving a box identical to yours; we were treating it as highly dangerous and I was visually examining it from a close distance when it emitted a light; then I found myself where I was, and yet not.”  
  
“And you expect us to believe that?” Gwen asked haughtily.  
  
Ianto could only blink at her; was she that narrow-minded that she couldn’t even entertain the possibility? This was Torchwood, for god’s sake. Even if they had him under suspicion until it was confirmed, to not even imagine that it might be possible...  
  
Thank god he didn’t have one on his team, otherwise they’d never get anything done.  
  
Instead of answering her, he directed his answer to the rest of the team.  
  
“Yes. This is Torchwood, after all. It’s not like there’s regularly time-traveling persons and debris, aliens in the sewers, a last-of-his-kind alien traveling all over time and the universe just randomly saving things, and a man that can’t stay dead leading a top secret organization that everyone in Cardiff knows about.”  
  
Okay, maybe the sarcasm was for her.  
  
“Owen, I want a full medical scan. I want to know exactly what he is, and when you’re done we’re going to be asking him some serious questions,” Jack barked.  
  
“I’m aware I’m viewed as a potential hostile right now and I expect you to fully investigate and interrogate me--you’re too good of a leader not to, especially since I did not inform you earlier-- however, as I would like to be able to go home as soon as possible, I hope that you’re not going to forget to investigate that tech as well?”  
  
Ianto grimaced a little inside; he knew that would make the Captain mad, but he didn’t want them so focused on him that they wasted valuable time ignoring the tech.  
  
“We’re already going to do that, don’t you worry.”  
  
Yup. Very annoyed and likely worried.  
  
Owen lowered his weapon as Jack pulled his hands down, handcuffing him, fortunately with his hands in front.  
  
“Somehow this isn’t as enjoyable as the last time a Jack Harkness handcuffed me, not to mentioned the handcuffs were fur-lined.”  
  
Sometimes it was a case of make-a-joke-or-cry, and he really didn’t want to cry in front of these people.  
  
But from Owen’s snort he could tell he had at least amused the medic, while everyone else didn’t know quite what to do with the comment.  
  
Jack tossed Owen the handcuff key and Owen grabbed Ianto's arm to guide him down to autopsy.  
  
As Owen led him away, he turned to the Captain.  
  
“By the way, Captain, as for what I am, you could ask, you know. I have never lied to a Jack Harkness and I don’t intend to start now. Withheld information from, yes; but lied to, no.”  
  
“I don’t know you, so how do I know you’re being honest now? You could just be saying what you think I want to hear.”  
  
Looking into the other man’s eyes, Ianto knew that this was the truth, it was what Jack wanted to hear, but he was too good a leader to do that.   
  
“I believe, Captain, that’s why it’s called trust.”  
  
“And if you know your Jack half as well as you _say_ you do, then you know I have a perfectly good reason to be paranoid. Especially when it has something to do with the disappearance of my mate.”  
  
Jack was half-growling at the end.  
  
“And I have been ripped from my partner, just like you have been ripped from your mate. But if you’re anything like the Jack I know--and I know you are--you have lived by your wits and instincts for far longer than any person lives. So maybe you should listen to your instincts; trust them if you can’t trust me.”  
  
Jack looked slightly taken aback by that, and seemed to consider it.  
  
“You can’t trust him, Jack!” Gwen cried.  
  
Of course _she_ would be the one to ruin what little trust he had seemingly established, Ianto thought bitterly.  
  
“We’ll get the exam done, and get some answers. Depending on what he says, we’ll decide then,” Jack said, but at least he sounded slightly less hostile.  
  
Ianto turned to Owen. “After you, Doctor,” he said.  
  
“Actually, I believe I should follow _you_.”

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“So…any medical conditions I need to know about?” Owen asked, pen and clipboard in hand.

Ianto was a bit surprised; he had not expected the doctor to actually talk to him.

“None, terrestrial or extraterrestrial.”

Owen looked up.

“Any sarcastic nicknames your Owen uses? You know, just to make you feel a bit at home.”

Ianto chuckled before he answered.

“You’re assuming I have a version of yourself.”

“Well of course you do, everyone knows I make this operation work with my extreme awesomeness.”

Ianto smiled, it was so typical Owen.

“A remark about coffee being served, or being a Tea Boy would do, actually.”

“You make coffee too? How much do I have to beg for a caffeine fix?”

Owen looked like he just might beg, too.

“Well, considering Jack is unlikely to unlock these,” he said, holding up the handcuffs, “anytime soon, you might just have to make do.”

Owen replied with a serious stare.

“Look, Jack’s just concerned about our Ianto. They’ve been through hell and back, and are just getting themselves sorted. He’ll let you out of those as soon as he’s sure you’re not a threat.”

Ianto looked down sadly. In some ways he had gotten himself into this mess, and he understood this team was worried, but to see the people he cared about have looks of such suspicion, especially Jack, hurt deeply.

“I know, and I understand. I’ve been with Torchwood far longer than your Ianto, and this _is_ partially my fault; I should have said something as soon as I had assessed the situation. Of course, this is assuming that you believe me.”

Owen shrugged as he said, “Seen a lot of weird shit in this job. You’re here…our Ianto is somewhere else. Stands to reason you switched places. And Jack will do anything to get Dragon Boy back.”

“Of that I have no doubt; Jack Harkness, no matter the reality, is nothing if not consistent. I’m just not sure how easy the solution is, I don’t even know HOW this was possible to begin with, because it shouldn’t have been.”

It was true, it was part of what made him Jack; despite what difference there might be from different pasts, it was part of what defined him.

“That’s why we have a technical genius…Tosh’ll work it out. It might just take a bit, but she will.”

“I’m sure my Tosh will manage it as well. It’s the “bit” part that concerns me. I’d offer to help, but…”

Ianto trailed off as he raised his handcuffed hands again.

“Harkness might go for it, once I give you a clean bill of health…which is looking more and more likely.”

Ianto quietly laughed again.

“I believe I can count on one, maybe two hands the number of times I’ve been sick in my life.”

“Yeah, well, what might not make you sick might kill us. There’s no telling what that tech did when it sucked you here. Best be safe than sorry, since I’d hate to have Dragon Boy come back and have to clean up after a biological apocalypse.”

Ianto laughed outright this time, it was reassuring that this Owen was making the effort, and that he was so like his own doctor.

“Very true; however, I do believe that’s not what Jack asked you to do.”

“Nope. He asked me to make a risk assessment based on your physical abilities. Which I am doing. And, I’ll be honest, I don’t think you’re much of a threat.”

“I believe he wanted to know 'what I was,' although I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“Well, duh…but since it’s obvious you’re just another version of Ianto Jones, I finished that assessment up within the first two minutes you were on the table. ‘Sides, I have all the scans we took when you came into the Hub, and that pretty much told me everything I needed to know. Jack’s just being a pain in the arse. I’m more concerned with you bringing anything along for the ride when you showed up.”

Ianto laughed again at the doctor’s assessment of his leader; it was just what he’d expect from Owen and Jack, honestly.

“Thank goodness some things never change. Thank you, Owen, a biological contamination didn’t occur to me; between the two universe there should be minimal biological differences, but you’re right, this is unknown tech.”

He couldn’t believe he had missed that possibility, he had been so busy determining the difference and similarities between the two realities he had not thought that tech might have deposited a contaminant on him.

Owen waved him off.

“Yeah, well someone has to keep his head around here. Between Harkness pining, Tosh worrying, and Gwen being a bitch, we need one professional in this place.”

“Oh, good, I was afraid I was the only one with that assessment of your Gwen. How do you get anything done?”

“Oh, she can work alright, when she isn’t thinking everything is about her. She’d be halfway decent if she’d just follow Jack’s orders instead of arguing with him over everything. I can see why Jack hired her, but I don’t think he expected it to come back and bite him in the arse like it has.”

“She’s quite different than the Gwen Cooper I know.”

“Good or bad?”

“OWEN!” Jack bellowed, interrupting their conversation.

Ianto looked at the doctor.

“His majesty calls. But would you believe me if I said your Gwen is better?”

Owen shrugged as he said, “Big surprise there. Be back as soon as I give Jack the news. Relax and enjoy the quiet. I’m sure he’ll be calling for you soon enough.”

Ianto slouched; he really didn’t want to lie down, but everything was weighing on him.

It looked like he had a good chance of gaining this team’s trust, which was a step in the right direction. But he was still far from home, and what he told Owen was true: if this took an extended time, he wasn’t sure of any long-term effects. Not to mention what could happen if the Doctor showed up.

He missed his partner and team so much. Being without Jack’s warm presence after so long was like stepping out into a snowstorm without a coat.

And he was getting hungry…maybe he could at least convince the team to give him a sandwich.


	8. Chapter Eight - Dragon Ianto

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

Jack was looking at him, and Ianto knew he had to get this right, to get this version of Jack to believe him.  He didn’t want to find himself on the wrong end of Jack’s Webley, even if the bullets wouldn’t hurt him all that much they’d still sting a bit, and he hated getting blood out of his suits.

He needed to get this team on his side.  Ianto wanted nothing more than to go home, and this Torchwood was his only chance.  They had to trust him.

“What is it?” Jack asked, looking concerned.  He stood there, staring at Ianto, his hands in his pockets.

The dragon took a deep breath.  “I know it’s going to be hard to accept, but I’m not your Ianto.  When that piece of tech was activated, it switched me with your version.  I’m pretty certain your Ianto is with my team, back in my version of Cardiff.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed.  “I really do think we need to let Owen get some scans.  I’m really worried about that fever you have.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly how Ianto thought it would go, but at least he wasn’t being thrown in a cell.

He chewed on his lip thoughtfully.  Well, if Jack was going to think it was because he was ill, there was only one thing for it.

“Come with me,” Ianto said, reaching across and tugging on Jack’s sleeve. 

“Good, Owen’s waiting for you in the medical bay –“

Ianto let him think that was where they were going, but he knew exactly what he needed to do to prove himself, and where he could do it.

Of course, he had no idea what was in the room in this reality where his hoard was at his Hub, but he knew for a fact that it was a large enough space. 

And, luckily for him, the door was unlocked.

“What the –“ Jack demanded, as Ianto threw open the heavy metal door and stepped inside.

There wasn’t anything within; the room looked as if it had been scrubbed clean and then abandoned.  Ianto felt a strange sensation in his chest at the loss of his hoard; hoarding was a dragon instinct, and for a dragon not to have any sort of hoard was a certain sign of disgrace.  Ianto himself had kept the majority of his hoard either at the Hub or at his house, with some in safe-keeping in Ddraig Llyn, and he’d used a bit to invest, making sure he had a bit of a nest egg for the future, not knowing how long he was going to stay with Torchwood.

Of course, now that he and Jack were mated in all but ceremony, the dragon knew he’d be with Torchwood as long as Jack was, which would most likely be a very long time indeed.

Ianto stepped into the centre of the room.  “Now, I want you to keep an open mind,” he requested.  “And please, don’t panic.”

With those words, Ianto triggered his transformation. 

To say that Jack looked surprised would have been an understatement.

Jack’s eyes were wide, and he cautiously reached up a hand to touch the dragon’s side.  “Well,” he said in awe, “if this is a joke, it’s a really good one.”

“I can promise you,” the dragon rumbled, “it’s no joke.”

Shaking his head, Jack moved back.  His comm. must have gone off, because he began talking to himself, “No, I think it’s safe to say I know what it is, Toshiko.  Why don’t you and Owen get down here…like, about five minutes ago?”

Toshiko must have gotten some sort of sensor reading on him, and was reporting to Jack.  The dragon was glad they had some sort of decent security around this version of the Hub, like they did in his own.

Jack began to pace, and the dragon left him at it.  He knew that Jack was most likely trying to reconcile the Ianto that he knew, and the mythical creature that was currently curled up on the hard concrete floor of this room.  The dragon watched, and waited for Jack to accept what he was seeing; but then, the immortal had always been very accepting of things, and he didn’t think this Jack would lock him up for admitting the truth.

Footfalls sounded in the corridor outside, and Owen and Toshiko practically raced into the room, Owen sliding to a clumsy halt and Toshiko stopping in her tracks as they both got a look at their ‘guest’.  “Bloody hell!” Owen exclaimed. 

“I knew the sensor readings were off…” Toshiko added. 

“I do apologize for giving you all a shock,” the dragon said.  “But I thought it best that I be completely honest, now that I know this Torchwood won’t do anything to me.”

“You’re an honest-to-shit dragon!”  Owen gasped, his hands twitching, and if he was anything like the dragon’s Owen, then he was itching for his medical scanners.

“I am the last of my kind,” he answered.  “There are no others like me anywhere.”  He deliberately didn’t mention the Great Dragons; but then, they were spirits and not actual dragons really.  “I met my version of Jack Harkness on the side of a mountain, while he was on the run from Yvonne Hartman after Alex Hopkins had murdered the entire Torchwood team.  I have been by his side ever since.”  It hadn’t been an easy time of it, but all that pain had paid off in the end. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you said you were from another dimension,” Jack said.  Then he got that particular sparkle in his eye.  “Although, you really are one sexy beast.”

The dragon rolled his eyes.   “Jack Harkness must be the same in every dimension.”

“But you shouldn’t be able to travel between dimensions,” Jack went on.  “The Doctor said the walls were closed after the Time War.”

“I must be honest and say I don’t trust the Doctor as far as I could throw him,” the dragon snorted.  

Jack looked pained.  “That’s not important at the moment,” he said. “What is is getting you back to your Jack, and my Ianto back to me.”

“Agreed.”  Ianto remembered what his doppelganger had said in his journal about the Year of the Toclafane, and he wasn’t about to push his opinions on the trustworthiness of the Doctor.  He triggered his change back, straightening his tie as he resumed human form.

“How do you do that?” Toshiko asked excitedly.  “Where does the extra mass go when you change to human?  And what about your clothes?  You should shred right out of them when turn into a dragon –“

Ianto couldn’t help but laugh.  “My Tosh was about the same way when she found out.  She ran scans on me during my transformations, but she could only come up with one answer.”

“Which is?” She was practically bouncing.

The dragon grinned.  “Magic.”

Toshiko rolled her eyes.  “Why did I think you were going to say that?”

“Because I’m a mythical creature?”

“Is magic an integral part of where you come from?” Jack asked.

Ianto frowned.  “Not as much anymore.  Human disbelief is slowly weakening what magic there is left, and most of the magical beings who’d once lived on Earth have either left, or have died out.  Some day there might not be anything left at all…except for me, of course.”  He didn’t mention Ddraig Llyn; he had no idea if such a place even existed there, so it was a moot point.

“I’m sorry,” Toshiko said, resting a hand on his arm.

“It’s fine,” he answered.  He winked at her.  “Although that shouldn’t stop you from trying your own scans.  And I’m certain Owen has questions as well.”

“Damn right I do,” the medic said.  “Down to the medical bay, Tea-Boy…does my other self even call you that?”

“He used to, but now he sticks with Dragon Boy.”

“Dragon Boy it is, then.  Let’s get your physical over with.  I also want to make sure you haven’t tracked any sort of weird pathogens over from your universe.”

That made sense.  Ianto let himself be escorted up into the main Hub area, to let them poke and prod him.  Knowing these three were like his own team made it easier to deal with it.

 

**********

 

After all the tests were done, they  met back in the boardroom, which seemed to be  the same as the one in his Hub, which surprisingly made him feel more at home than he should have.

The moment he sat down, his stomach gurgled.  “Well,” Ianto said, “that was rather rude of me.”

Jack laughed.  “Just what do you eat?  Do we need to bring in a sheep or something?”

“I have been known to eat the odd sheep,” Ianto said dryly, “although the wool gets stuck between my teeth.  I much prefer virgins.”

Toshiko’s eyes went wide, and then she snorted delicately.  “Good thing there’s no virgins sitting at this table, then.”

“Judging from Jack’s stories,” Owen said, “he’s loud and proud about that fact, too.”

“Jealous, Owen?” Jack grinned.

“Not hardly.  Now, I did scans on Dragon Boy here, and while his metabolism is higher than your average human’s, he’s perfectly able to ingest normal food.”

“I quite like Chinese,” Ianto volunteered.  “And no, not Chinese virgins.”

“Prejudiced against Chinese virgins?” Jack teased.  “I wouldn’t have thought that about you.”

Toshiko sighed.  “I can call out for lunch.  I’m a bit hungry, too.”

“Okay,” Jack said, “you do that, and why don’t you ask Rhys to pick it up?”

“Rhys Williams?” Ianto asked, surprised.  One more thing that was different between the dimensions…apparently Rhys Williams knew about Torchwood.

“Yes,” Jack answered.  “His parents were Torchwood.  My Ianto and I have known him forever.”

“And what about Gwen Cooper?”  Ianto asked, curious.  He hadn’t seen her around, but in his own dimension Rhys hadn’t known about Torchwood at all.  His parents hadn’t been part of it at all.  Just how different was Gwen here?

“Well, I’m guessing you mean the trouble-making nutter, right?” Owen asked acerbically. 

Ianto’s eyebrows went up.  “She’s not like that in my dimension.  Opinionated and selfish, and yes, she does cause trouble…but not a ‘nutter’ as you say.” 

“Sounds like an improvement on ours.”

“Gwen is…” Jack paused.  “She’s a bit…obsessed with me.  The problem is, she’s also somewhat precognizant…” Suddenly he started laughing.  “Oh, of course!  Last year Gwen had this vision of a green monster coming to get us.”

“Bloody hell,” Owen swore.  “We’ve been on the alert, and it turns out the green monster is just another version of our Tea-Boy.”

Toshiko was also laughing.  “Well, to be fair there was no way she could have known that, Owen.”

“We did think she could have misinterpreted it at the time,” Jack pointed out.

“So she isn’t in Torchwood then?” Ianto asked.  He had the sudden wish that this was his universe, where his team didn’t have Gwen Cooper on it.  Then he shook his head, realizing that he couldn’t get so lucky.  Besides, Gwen was a fairly competent agent, and he couldn’t quite see how four could handle the dangers of Torchwood when his team of five had a hard enough time of it.

“Not likely,” Owen said.  “We’d get rid of her if we could.  She’s always sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

“I think that’s just Gwen Cooper, to be honest,” Ianto laughed.  He thought about his Gwen, and how she disliked anyone keeping secrets…although she kept some of the biggest secrets of all from her own fiancé.  Of course, that was the burden of Torchwood…

“Why don’t you call for lunch, Toshiko,” Jack ordered, “then we can get working on that tech.  I’m sure Ianto here wants to get home as much as we want our Ianto back.” 

“I do want to thank you all,” Ianto replied.  “I do really want to get back.”

“We’ll do it,” Toshiko swore.

“I have confidence,” the dragon smiled at her.  He didn’t mention the destiny that the Great Dragons had often spoken of, and Ianto had faith that he’d get back home based on that…and on this team, who if they were anything like his own, would do their best to make things right.


	9. Chapter Nine - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

As Owen took his customary seat he noticed that Ianto’s typical seat was left open at the conference table.  
  
“So, what is he?” Jack asked, his eyes hard, hiding the worry he knew his captain was feeling.  
  
Also, he wasn’t wasting any time.  
  
“After examination, I’ve determined he poses no risk of any sort of contamination. He’s perfectly healthy.”  
  
Jack’s eyes narrowed.  
  
“That’s _not_ what I asked you to do.”  
  
Owen sighed.  
  
“You asked ‘what he was,’ and the answer to that is, honestly, I don’t know what he is exactly. It’s obvious he’s just another version of Dragon Boy, but he’s definitely not human, that much I know. I was more worried about if he was carrying contaminants.”  
  
Jack gave him a pointed look as he pulled out his notes.  
  
“With the Hub’s scans I was able to complete his biological assessment within two minutes of him on the table. If he were to walk into a hospital, no doctor would doubt he’s human, at least from most standard tests. He does have an elevated heart rate, but I’d attribute that more to stress than a biological difference. It’s when you get to his brain and his DNA you see the big differences. His brain uses waves that I’ve never seen and we don’t have anything like it on record, and it doesn’t seem to entirely operate how a human brain does. The Hub scanners also show him emitting low levels of chronon particles and artron energy, but for the life of me I couldn’t guess why.”  
  
“You said something about his DNA?” Tosh asked.  
  
“His DNA actually shows slightly less than half human, about 2.5 to 3 percent something else and the other 50 percent something similar to the first unknown but definitely different. Again, we don’t have anything on record of anything remotely similar to either.”  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
“Tosh, what about that tech?”  
  
“It’s going to take time, from initial analysis all it appears to be is a box with a button. I haven’t been able to crack it open yet. It does seem to be giving off particles similar to chronons, but they are slightly different; I’ve plugged them into the Mainframe, but it hasn’t finished the analysis yet.”  
  
“If it’s similar to what’s he’s giving off, could he have been responsible for the tech?” Gwen asked.  
  
“Could he be telling the truth?”  
  
Tosh thought for a moment.  
  
“I don’t know, not yet.”  
  
Well, Owen _did_ know.  
  
“Look, I know I’m the cynic here, but I believe him.”  
  
Jack looked skeptical as he asked, “Okay, Mr. Cynic, _why_ do you believe him?”  
  
“ _Look_ at him,” Owen said, motioning out the window, where Jack could see the doppelganger of his mate.  
  
He was slumped like he had the weight of the world weighing on him.  
  
“I’ve seen that look in his eyes before, that look of, 'this is not where I’m supposed to be, this is not where I _want_ to be.' I talked to him and it’s obvious this is not where he wants to be; well, actually, I think he wouldn’t mind comparing the difference if he knew he could get home. He wants to help; he wants us to get our Dragon Boy back, and get himself home.  
  
“Besides, he had ample opportunity to do harm and he didn’t; he’s just another version of our Ianto.”  
  
Jack looked thoughtful, weighing the doctor’s words.  
  
“He’s some sort of unknown alien and you think we should take his word for it. It’s bad enough we have a _dragon_ on our team! It doesn’t even sound possible.”  
  
“Gwen!” Jack reprimanded, as Owen and Tosh glared.  
  
Owen shrugged.  
  
“He seems to know quite a bit of stuff of this nature because he said it shouldn’t have been possible; he even offered to help with figuring out the tech—if we let him, that is. Besides, as he said, this is Torchwood, we see plenty of strange stuff.”  
  
Jack laced his fingers in front of his face, contemplating.  
  
“Let’s see what he says before we decide anything. Owen, can you get him?”  
  
Owen nodded and stood, on his way to collect the mirror version of their Ianto.

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto stepped into the conference room with Owen close behind him.

Owen guided him to an empty seat, however, as he was sitting his stomach growled…loudly.

At everyone’s stares he blushed.

“I hate to ask at the moment, but is there any way I could have a sandwich, or at least some biscuits?”

“I think we can arrange something,” Jack said as he nodded, eyes barely softening.

Turning to Gwen he said, “Can you arrange some lunch?”

Gwen puffed up.

“I really think I should be here in case things get ugly.”

Jack cocked his eyebrow. “I think we can handle anything he might try.”

“I can call in an order for takeout?” Tosh offered.

At Jack’s nod she asked Ianto, “What would you like?”

“If you’re ordering sandwiches, three club sandwiches, please, with a double order of chips, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Jack’s eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up towards his hair line as he said, “That’s a lot of food.”

“I’m hungry. Mam always said a growing boy could eat a family out of house and home, and she couldn’t figure out why I seemed to apparently not grow out of it. I have a high metabolism and have always had a big appetite,” Ianto replied with a shrug.

Owen nodded. “Makes sense with the readings I got.”

“Call it in, Toshiko, and get us all the usual as well. Oh, and if you want, you could ask Kathy to pick it up, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind seeing you,” Jack said, leering at Tosh.

Tosh rolled her eyes. “It’s not like she doesn’t have a job, Jack.”

Ianto sat listening to the exchange, his mind filled with what was. Tosh and Kathy Swanson becoming closer, becoming lovers. But something was not right; this did not occur in the regular flow of time, it felt gritty and rough. The year of the paradox was the only answer; but did that mean they remembered?

Looking at that now nonexistent time was difficult, near impossible without looking at something that happened during that time and still was, like Tosh and Kathy’s relationship.

They seemed to remember, but did the rest of the team? Hmm…Owen had said this Jack and Ianto had had a rough time until recently; could he, too, remember? Then what about Gwen?

They were questions he couldn’t get the answers for without asking, unfortunately, and bringing up that horrible year was the last thing he wanted.

Meanwhile, Jack and Tosh had continued to talk.

“I doubt she’ll mind, if you offer to get her something too. Even coppers have to eat.”

Ianto turned towards Toshiko, smiling, and said, “Thank you.”

As Tosh went to call in the order the remaining team members sat in silence. It was somehow a comfortable and uncomfortable one at the same time.

This world’s Owen seemed to believe him, and he hoped from Jack’s reaction earlier that he would come around as well. In fact…his partner's double seemed to be warming; it was a small mercy. Gwen, however, didn’t seem so inclined to trust him.

Tosh returned a few minutes later.

“Now that we have food on the way, let’s get down to it, shall we?”

Ianto took a deep breath as he began.

“I would like to apologize for not informing you a bit sooner, as soon as I had assessed the dangers.”

“It would have saved us a lot of gun waving if you had,” Jack replied.

“I know, my Jack gets rather exasperated with my bad habit of doing so; although it doesn’t come up often, I can just hear my lecture already. I couldn’t have said anything sooner, but as soon as you found me in the Archives I should have said something,” Ianto said with a mixture of embarrassment and shame.

“Do you know what happened?” Tosh asked.

“Not precisely, from my perspective I was with my team investigating an identical piece of tech, and I was visually inspecting it from a close distance when it emitted a light and then I was somewhere else and yet in the same place. I’d hypothesize that the tech caused a switch between two alternate worlds as your Ianto isn’t here, but how this is possible I have no idea, it should be impossible since the Last Time War; well, excluding the breach the Doctor caused and later resealed.”

You know about the Time War?” Jack asked, surprised.

“I am familiar with it,” Ianto replied, nodding.

“What’s the Time War?” Gwen asked.

‘Why am I not surprised?’ Ianto thought, but kept it to himself.

“It’s the last Great Time War between the Time Lords and Daleks, and it’s not really relevant except that it means dimensions are closed. There should be no way to cross between them like this Ianto and ours obviously did.”

Ianto felt a bit more of the tension in his body drain away; for whatever reason, this Jack seemed to believe him now.

“And I did pick up particles similar to chronons, but not chronons, when I scanned the tech. Seemingly indicating something happened,” Tosh said.

Ianto nodded. “The particles could be consistent with something designed to cross the veil, they could be Void energies and particles, or as the Doctor likes saying, 'stuff,' but it should still be impossible now, unless the tech has a way to circumvent the block.”

“It could be Time Lord tech of some kind,” Jack offered.

Ianto thought for a moment, not sure what to think of Jack’s guess, then he closed his eyes and sorted through what knowledge he currently had about Time Lord tech and research.

“It would be consistent with their tech and research; however, I’m not sure if there was anything like this in development.”

“But this doesn’t answer the question about what this Ianto actually _is_ ,” Gwen piped in huffily, amazingly having stayed relatively quiet during the exchange.

“And you’re good at being a bitch,” Owen replied in kind.

Ianto could only think how grateful he was he didn’t have to deal with this regularly.

“All you had to do was ask. I’m half-TARDIS.”

“No bloody way,” Owen cried in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Jack’s jaw dropped and Tosh glared angrily.

Gwen, on the other hand, looked like someone had asked her to translate Time Lord.

“A TARDIS’s housing is bio-organic-mechanical, but the heart of a TARDIS is grown. Mother had to finagle DNA for me to have a stable, purely organic body.”

“Well, if the TARDIS had to have a kid, I would have thought he’d be gorgeous,” Jack said with a glint in his eye.

Ianto just rolled his eyes. “My Jack has said the same thing.”

“Bloody hell, Harkness…can’t you stop flirting for a minute?”

“And ruin my image?” Jack asked innocently.

Ianto rolled his eyes again; at least this Jack’s behavior made him feel at home.

“Okay, so that’s half-TARDIS, and a good chunk human, but what’s the other bit in your DNA?” Owen asked.

“Time Lord, Mother needed it to stabilize my life form. TARDISes are not meant to be in 100% organic bodies; without the addition, I would not have been…viable,” Ianto explained the last part cringing a bit; describing yourself in terms of not being able to live was not pleasant.

Jack’s eyes widened again. “How?”

Ianto opened his mouth to answer, then paused and closed his eyes, feeling the timeline.

“There…there will come a time when all of the Doctor’s companions from one regeneration will come together to fight beside him. They will be together on the TARDIS, and it’s then, in my world and timeline, that Mother used the gathered genetic material to make a unique DNA sequence and merge it with a half-Time Lord DNA sequence and then bind that to a TARDIS coral she was ready to give life to.”

“Half-Time Lord? How does that happen?” Jack asked.

“I’m sorry, I can’t go into any more detail, the event is set in your timeline as well; of course, Mother wouldn’t be making a baby TARDIS, but the events surrounding it do happen,” Ianto replied, remorseful that he couldn’t explain more—but in his own timeline, he hadn’t even been able to tell his Jack that much.

“Fascinating,” Owen said, Jack nodding in agreement.

“This begs the question: is every Ianto Jones in every dimension some sort of non-human?” Toshiko asked.

Ianto closed his eyes, shifting through the possibilities, but he already knew the answer, it was something he had looked at in the past.

“Sadly, no, there are infinite possibilities and a good many of those are human.” Ianto paused, diverting his eyes down sadly. “Rarely an ordinary life, but usually with an ordinary life span, unless something or someone intervenes.”

“That’s sad,” Tosh replied.

Jack frowned, obviously realizing the meaning of this statement.

“Sadder than I believe you realize,” Ianto said.

“Especially if he and Jack were…” Tosh cleared her throat. “I was wondering, if maybe contacting the Great Dragons might give us some idea of how to get both Iantos switched back?”

Ianto knew what she meant; what she didn’t realize was that in all possibilities he had seen, that was exactly the case. In some cases the relationship might not be as deep, but that they were together in some way was a constant throughout the possibilities.

“I have no idea, I’m not really familiar with these Great Dragons,” Ianto said.

“The Great Dragons are the spirits of my Ianto’s kind. There are four: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, and they’ve helped us out on occasion. They might have been able to help out at the height of their power, but now…we could ask, but like I said, I’m not really sure what they can do,” Jack explained.

Ianto nodded. “If you think it might help.”

“But in the meantime, Toshiko, don’t forget to use science to scan that artifact,” Jack said with a wink.

“No problem, Jack. Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to get the Iantos back to where they belong.”

“If you would allow it, I can assist with the analysis of the tech,” Ianto offered after nodding his head in agreement with continuing to investigate the tech.

“Yes, Jack…I could use the help,” Tosh replied.

“Alright, you can help Tosh. But I’m going to have to insist you stay in the main Hub area. It’s not that we don’t trust you…it’s that we don’t want you to go anywhere we can’t find you, in case we find a way to get you switched back,” Jack offered.

Ianto nodded. “Of course.”

“Wait a minute, how can you say we trust him? And how can someone be part-machine?”

“First of all, the TARDIS isn’t a machine…she was mostly grown, not built. Secondly, machines don’t have DNA,” Jack replied, glaring at Gwen.

“I know we don’t capture all aliens, but is it safe letting him have the run of the Hub? We don’t do that with any other aliens who get stranded here.”

Jack just stared at her before rolling his eyes and standing to walk out of the conference room.

“Don’t you just walk away!”

“I’m walking away because I don’t want to yell at you.”

“Um, guys, Kathy just texted me to say she’s upstairs with lunch, so, umm, I’ll just go let her in.”


	10. Chapter Ten - Dragon Ianto

 

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

Toshiko called in lunch, and then headed out to her desk, to see if she could figure out anything about the device that had brought Ianto to this dimension.  Owen followed, saying something about having work to do – which Ianto wondered about, because if this Owen was anything like his own then ‘work’ was a euphemism for ‘playing the latest video game’.  This left the dragon alone with Jack.

He felt a little uncomfortable about it, and he wasn’t certain why.

“Tell me about your team,” this Jack asked, leaning back in his seat.   “I’m really curious about the differences…besides Gwen Cooper.  I still can’t believe she’s a member of Torchwood where you come from.”

Ianto sighed.  “My Jack hired her because she reminded him of Rose Tyler –“

“You’re kidding!”  Jack looked shocked.

“I’m afraid not.  I didn’t agree with it, but he’s the Director, after all…but after some issues he and I had, he began to see that any resemblance was shallow at best.  Our Gwen could be a fantastic field agent, if she’d simply drop some of her prejudice and show some of her vaunted compassion toward her own teammates.  Jack claimed it was her humanity that drew him, that we needed that humanity to remember what we’re fighting for…well, me specifically, because I was having a major crisis in my belief in human beings at the time.  Unfortunately, it backfired.”  He’d been so angry at humankind over Lisa that he’d almost completely turned his back on them.  And he would have, too, if they’d been able to save Lisa. 

At Jack’s questioning look, Ianto explained.  “I said that I’m the last of my kind?”  Jack nodded.  “Humans were responsible for the genocide of my race.  It’s a bit ironic that I’m fighting for them now.”

“Why are you?”  It was said quietly, and Ianto could see the sympathy in the other man’s gaze.

“Because the humans that killed the dragons are dead and dust.  I cannot hold it against the ones who live today.  Besides, if aliens took over the planet, I doubt I’d still be free, and the Earth is my home, too.  And then there’s Jack.  We might have had our differences but he’s my mate.  I love him very much.”

There was an awkward moment of silence, and then Jack spoke again.  “And the rest of your team?”

Ianto was glad for the change of subject.  “Well, of course there’s Owen and Toshiko, and they’re very much like yours, only they aren’t together like they are here.”

“I can’t imagine those two not a pair!”

“In my universe, Toshiko is with Kathy Swanson.  They are Dragon-Friends, and became close during the Year of the Toclafane.”  Jack would know what that meant; Ianto had read it in his doppelganger’s journal.

Judging from the flash of pain on the captain’s face, he was correct.  “Dragon-Friends?” he asked instead, not bringing up the subject of that missing year.

“That’s a bit hard to describe,” Ianto answered.  “It’s an honour, though, and they both deserve it.”

“And they remember that year?”

Ianto nodded.  “My entire team does…well, except for Gwen.  She died early on, unlike Owen, Toshiko, and Kathy.”  He laughed.  “I include Kathy as a teammate because she may as well be; she just doesn’t want to give up her day job.  My Jack keeps asking her, but she won’t budge.”

“What about Owen?”

“He’s currently not with someone, but he’s trying for a long-distance relationship with a Rift refugee named Diane Holmes.  She lives in Anchorage, Alaska.”

Jack seemed to know who Diane was, but he didn’t volunteer any information as to her whereabouts.  “And I’ll be honest; I can’t see Toshiko and Owen apart.  They both came here broken in different ways, and those broken bits seemed to fit together in ways they didn’t know existed.  They had a lot to get through, but they made it work, and now they’re both stronger for it.”

Ianto nodded; his own Toshiko and Owen had been equally as broken, but Owen had turned that into something that Toshiko couldn’t accept.  It had really hit home to her that time with the telepathic pendant, and she’d given up her infatuation after that.  There’d been a time with Ianto had thought that she and Tommy…but that relationship had really been doomed to failure, and while Ianto thought the technician and the time-crossed young soldier could be friends, he’d been glad that Toshiko had seemed to put that behind her as well.  His friend was now truly with Kathy, bound by the Great Dragons and the horrible events of a year that only a handful could recall.

But that hadn’t happened here, and he sincerely hoped that his best friend was happy.

A faint smile crossed his lips.  “Too many differences here.  No offence, but my world is looking better and better to me.”

Jack laughed.  “I don’t blame you.  Don’t worry, Toshiko will work it out.”

Ianto had no doubt of that.

 

***********

 

Lunch arrived in the form of Chinese, brought in by Rhys Williams.  The dragon got his first glimpse of the other-dimensional version of Gwen Cooper’s fiancé as he came through the cog door, carrying several bags, the name on them the same as a carry-out that Ianto had often called on his own world.  He hoped the food was just as good.

The team gathered in the boardroom once more, with Rhys in attendance.  He didn’t look any different from the pictures and CCTV footage the dragon had seen of him, and he wished he’d gotten to know his own world’s Rhys in order to judge if there were any personality differences.

Jack explained to Rhys what had happened, and Ianto found himself under scrutiny.  “He looks just like our Ianto,” Rhys mused. 

“You should see him when he changes,” Jack answered.  “It’s really amazing.”

“It is!” Toshiko enthused.  “I’m still puzzled at the mass reduction between dragon-form and human-form, though.”

“Well, it’s magic, isn’t it?”  Rhys asked, grinning. 

“I like you, Mr. Williams,” Ianto said, returning the grin.

“It’s Rhys, mate.  No need to stand on formalities with me.  I’m just an ordinary bloke whose folks once fought the good fight.”

“Jack did say your parents were Torchwood.  Are they…?”  He didn’t want to bring up anything unpleasant but he was curious.

“Nah.  They’re retired and living in Newport, perfectly happy.  Of course, they have some pretty severe gaps in their memory…”

“Retcon?”  Ianto wasn’t surprised.

“Barry and Brenda retired after a particularly…interesting mission,” Jack answered.  “Personally, I’m not sure I would’ve Retconned them or not, but they requested it.  They were good agents, and it’s a shame they didn’t want to keep their memories.”

“And you didn’t want to Retcon me,” Rhys said.  “But then, I’m useful.”

“You’re more than useful,” Jack said.  “You’re family.”

“And I’m the only one who can stand to be around Gwen for long periods of time.”

“May I ask,” Ianto put in, “if Gwen’s so bad, why do you stay with her?”

“Well, first off Jack and Ianto asked me to keep an eye on her.  And second, she’s…well, she’s pretty good in the sack.  When she’s not going off about conspiracies and how Jack is her soul mate.”  Rhys shrugged.  “It could be worse.”

“In my world, Gwen and Rhys are engaged.”

Rhys looked surprised.  “Really?  And it’s lasted?  But hey…your Gwen is probably different from ours.”

“She is, a bit.  Not that I’m defending her, but she has the makings of a decent Torchwood agent.”  There were many times when Ianto despaired of her ever reaching the potential he saw in her.  Gwen could have been so much more than she she’d settled for.  “She just has certain…personality quirks that I have on good authority that yours does, as well.”

“At least she can’t sporadically see the future, like ours can,” Toshiko said. 

“You mean there’s a world where Gwen actually became Torchwood?” Rhys was incredulous.

Ianto nodded.  “And one where you don’t know anything about it.”

“Was I Retconned then?”

“No, nothing like that.  Your parents were never members of the team, so you never grew up with it.”  He didn’t mention Gwen’s Retconning him over the affair she’d had with Owen; that wasn’t exactly on topic with the conversation.

“That’s a shame,” Jack replied.  “Rhys might not be a full member of the team, but his contributions have been invaluable.”

Rhys blushed a little at the praise.  “Just trying to do what needs to be done.  I know how important Torchwood is.”

Ianto nodded in understanding.  Seeing this man, and his commitment to do what was right, made him wonder if it wasn’t past time he got to know his dimension’s Rhys Williams a little better.  They may be completely different people, but then again he may be missing something by not at least meeting the man and giving him a chance.

They chatted through lunch, Jack regaling them with a couple of rather fantastical stories, one of which Ianto had heard before but still found funny.  The food was particularly good, even better than what he’d had from the same place in his dimension, and he vaguely wondered if he could take some back with him. 

Seeing the four of them together, Ianto couldn’t help but realize just how close-knit they were, much like his own team.  He glanced at Jack, who was busily shoveling noodles into his mouth with a rather playful abandon…much like his own Jack would have done.  Apparently lack of table manners translated across universes…

He couldn’t help but be glad that at least one Jack besides his own had someone who would be with him for a very long time.  If he was anything like his Jack – and the other Ianto’s journals had suggested he was – then he didn’t deserve to be alone.

There were many things he wanted to ask about; like if there was an Alice and Steven here, or any number of personal questions that Ianto knew about his Jack, but not about this one.  He wanted to compare the two more than he already had, to know the man here better.

But it wasn’t his right to do so. 

He wasn’t this Jack’s Ianto; he had no right to get too personal.  He had no right to pry.  Ianto would be going home soon anyway, and leaving this place.  Knowing every personal detail about this team – and this Jack – wouldn’t be necessary. 

Instead, he simply enjoyed their company…for now.       
  
  



	11. Chapter Eleven - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

Ianto leaned back, gently rubbing his newly-released wrists, as he watched Jack bite his lip while Gwen continued spouting xenophobic nonsense.  
  
It was entertaining to watch, even more so as he didn’t have to deal with it at home. But it did remind him of the persistent problem of Gwen in his world.  
  
Seeing this possibility made him wonder…but it’d be something to ponder on when he was back where he belonged.  
  
“Harkness! Here’s your food, and for future reference I am _not_ a delivery girl!”  
  
“Kathy! You wound me.”  
  
“I’ll give you a wound; Jones, you need to reel in the leash.”  
  
Ianto smiled; it seemed Kathy was another constant, but regardless, this still wasn’t his Kathy and he would never presume to act like his counterpart—well, now that he had come clean.  
  
“I believe DI Swanson that reeling the leash is a bit difficult right now.”  
  
Kathy just looked at him with a curious look, before turning to Tosh with a questioning look.  
  
“There’s been a bit of a…situation…with some alien tech.”  
  
“Bloody Torchwood, I’d love to hear, but I just got a call I gotta run back to work.”  
  
“Ahhh, and we have to be deprived of your sparkling presence?”  
  
“Stuff it, Harkness,” Kathy replied, kissing Toshiko on the cheek. “I’ll see myself out.”

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

In the wake of Kathy’s rapid departure, it felt a bit like a whirlwind had whisked through the board room.

“Well, that was a pleasure as always,” Owen said. “Can we distribute the food now?”

“Of course,” Tosh replied, holding the bag of food up.

Ianto pressed his lips together, waiting for the food to be distributed. Despite his own being among the first handed out, Mam had instilled manners in her boy; he would wait until everyone had their food.

After everyone had their food in front of them, he dug in, devouring half of his first sandwich in two rapid bites, before turning his attention to adding salt and vinegar to his chips and digging into them as well.

“Damn, and I thought Harkness was bad,” Owen commented.

Ianto swallowed before replying, “I unfortunately missed my midmorning meal.”

“You missed breakfast?” Gwen asked, almost nicely.

“Oh no, I got breakfast, Jack prepared a full English breakfast.”

“How on Earth can you be this hungry then?” she asked.

He was saved from rapidly swallowing again by Owen.

“Fast metabolism, remember? I’d hazard to guess that brain of his requires a lot more energy, in other words food, than a full human.”

Gwen just blinked in response.

They lapsed into silence for several minutes after that.

“So, you and your Jack?” Tosh asked.

Ianto looked at her, he knew what she meant—were he and his Jack together?

However, seeing Gwen’s slightly nervous fidgeting, he wanted to drag it out.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate on that.”

“She means are you doing it like bunnies?” Owen answered before Toshiko could.

“Oh, well then, yes. Yes, my version of Captain Jack Harkness and myself are in a relationship.”

“Oh, really?” Tosh asked.

“Toshiko, that’s a foregone conclusion! After all, I’m irresistible!” Jack replied with a twinkle in his eye.

Ianto rolled his eyes as he said, “Only if you ask yourself.”

“Really, I can’t see you both _not_ together in some way,” Tosh said dreamily.

Gwen huffed and made a face.

“Surely not every universe has to have Jack and Ianto together. I’m sure there are some where they aren’t.”

“In every possibility I’ve seen, Jack Harkness has some form of a relationship with Ianto Jones. It does defy statistics, but it’s what I’ve encountered. I would think there are some possibilities that this doesn’t happen, as 'always' and 'never' rarely if ever occur in nature, but if they do indeed exist, they would appear to be a very small number.”

“That’s so sweet!” Tosh squealed.

“But you’re not even _human_ , how can that even work? At least our Ianto isn’t a machine,” Gwen demanded with a slight shudder.

“We’ve been over this, Cooper. One: TARDISes are grown and have DNA, hence life form with a semi-built housing, and two: he’s also almost half-human on the DNA front, and his body itself is pretty close to human,” Owen explained.

“Drop it, Gwen, after all this is over we’ll have a biology lesson if we need to,” Jack said, glaring at Gwen.

Gwen looked like she wanted to argue but said no more, but Ianto had a feeling this wasn’t the last he’d hear on the subject.

Jack coughed.

“I never really believed in the whole 'soul mates' idea, until I met my Ianto. Please don’t take it the wrong way, but I do really want to get him back soon.”

Ianto nodded. “I understand, I want to get back to my Jack as well, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this far from him even during...when he was with the Doctor.”

He did not know how much this team knew about Jack’s travels, or indeed how similar it was to his own partner’s experience, so he decided vagueness was the best solution.

“How long have you been together?” Tosh asked.

Ianto smiled warmly, thinking of his partner and their long ago meeting.

“I’m pleased to say we have been involved for 87 years.”

He decided not to elaborate more at the moment as he took in this team’s reactions.

Tosh was doing a splendid impression of a fish, as Jack whistled and Gwen rolled her eyes.

All the while, Owen cursed.

“Jesus Christ, Tea Boy, just how old are you?”

“One hundred and seven, I was born August 19, 1900. I always knew one day I would find him and at the very least give him Mother’s message; though I suspect she hoped we’d become more. It was just a few months after our meeting in June 1920 we became lovers. The first 25 years are a bit complicated, but we both count them as we were together considerably more than we were apart.”

There was silence for a moment as the entire team just stared at him, though there was a hint of something in Jack’s eyes.

Jack coughed.

“So, tell us about your team.”

It would seem Jack did not want that particular vein of conversation to continue, at least not in front of the team.

“What would you like to know?”

“Well, how about who’s on it? How long you’ve been with Torchwood?”

“I’ve been with Torchwood since 1950I was conscripted, not unlike my Jack, and I would imagine yourself, were. Jack and I took, and do mean took, control of Torchwood 3 in 1970, although we did allow Hartman to think she had control for a few years through Alex Hopkins in the 90s.

“As for our current team, it’s not unlike yours in many ways. First, we have our leader, Captain Jack Harkness, and myself, as the second in command. Then we have our doctor, Doctor Owen Harper, and our technical analyst and genius, Toshiko Sato. That’s the official team as far as the roster.”

“What about me?” Gwen asked.

At the same time Jack asked, “You operate with just four?”

“It’s a bit of a stretch sometimes, but we manage and we do have people we call on to help, Allies, as we call them. They are mostly people we’ve known since their childhood and we trust them completely.”

Ianto struggled for a moment, trying to think of a nice way to describe the Gwen Cooper of his world.

“The Gwen Cooper of my universe is…incompatible with our work.”

Gwen opened her mouth to ask something else but was cut off by Jack.

“Allies?”

“Most of them are children of former Torchwood operatives. We made it a point to help with the children of our operatives, including after those operatives retired, or…” He paused for an instant. “The children were allowed to keep their memories, for various reasons; however, they’ve all proved trustworthy and willing to help in whatever capacity they can. Without a doubt our most helpful is Rhys Williams.”

“Rhys?!” Jack asked, eyebrows shooting to his hairline.

At the same time Gwen screeched, “ _My_ Rhys?”

Ianto rubbed his finger in his ear after the screeching.

“Yes, your fiancé, Rhys Williams. He’s very resourceful and loyal. We’d offer him a full place on the team, but he’s said he’d rather help us from the outside, and it has been very useful.”

As Gwen sputtered and Tosh and Owen looked surprised, Jack looked like he was pondering this information.

“That’s impossible, there's no way my Rhys could handle Torchwood!”

Ianto glared at her; he had known Rhys a majority of the man’s life, and Ianto trusted him, and most of all, Rhys had more than earned that trust.

“Maybe your Rhys is different in my world,” he paused as he watched her relax, reassured in her knowledge that she was right. “However, on the other hand, maybe you don’t know _your_ Rhys as well as you think you do.”

Jack chose then to interrupt.

“As enlightening as this is, we want to get the Iantos back where they belong. Tosh, Ianto, if you could see what you can find?”

“Right, Jack.”

With that, lunch was over.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto attempted to inhale the remainder of his chips as Tosh stood to leave; conversation was great, except when one forgot to finish his food and wasn’t done when it ended.

Tosh smiled.

“Go ahead and finish; I’ll just go check on those readings I got earlier, since we have an idea what they are now.”

Ianto nodded.

“Just give me ten minutes and I’ll be down.”

In reality, it took him less as he was still inhaling his food.

As he stood to leave, he turned to find Gwen behind him.

“I don’t know how you managed it, but you won’t fool me like you’ve fooled the others.”

“Oh? And what is it that you think I’ve fooled them about?”

“I don’t trust you, you Iantos are all the same: inhuman and not to be trusted.”

Her eyes hardened even more.

“You’ve corrupted poor Rhys, and Jack has a blind spot for anyone named Ianto. But that alternate version of me wasn’t fooled; did she save Jack, show him the truth? Showed him _real_ love? Who he should trust? That’s why she’s incompatible to your Torchwood, she wouldn’t cater to you. Well, I won’t, just like she didn’t.”

Ianto could only stare at her for a moment, not sure whether to laugh or cry. This was just one more thing in an unbelievable, stressful day.

“You…you self-righteous…narrow-minded…cow! Are you so blinded by yourself you can’t even think—no, that’s not right—so blinded with your own view of the world? I don’t even know where to begin with that idiotic dribble. I don’t _want_ to be here, as interesting as it could be under different circumstances, I want to be home with my partner, Jack Harkness, the one I’ve loved for longer than your _parents_ have been alive, _child_!

“Now, as for my version of yourself—oh, you two are alike, make no mistake. Just not how you seem to think. You both are so sure you are right, that your way is the right way, regardless of how others might be more experienced, know more; as far as you are concerned you are right, except you are _wrong_. We met Gwen Elizabeth Cooper when she was a child and she decided she was in love with Jack, that they were soul mates, and she keeps coming back no matter how many times we retcon her, oh, no, she doesn’t remember, it's just pure dumb luck, because all she does is bring trouble and rants about her soul mate and other nonsense.

“Oh, and don’t think that I’m making things up, because neither you nor your counterpart could be Jack’s soul mate. Why? Because you don’t know him. You see a big superhero who can do no wrong; you don’t see a man who is hurt and has hidden darkness. Jack Harkness has not always been a good man, and that still haunts him, _both_ versions of him. You love an ideal, and that does not make a real, loving relationship.

“But you don’t understand love; after all, you’re marrying a man because you think no one else would have you. The Rhys Williams I know is everything I described earlier and more, but you don’t see that, all you see is a sweet man who loves you and cooks for you—oh, and puts up with your antics. Well, most of you antics, he wouldn’t put up with your affairs, but that’s right, you are so self-centered you only confessed because you drugged him with Retcon and he wouldn’t remember. You didn’t do it because you felt like you were wrong, but because you wanted forgiveness with no consequences.

“And you think that you deserve a man like Jack Harkness? That you know what’s best for the world? You are nothing but a _child_ , a child who doesn’t understand the world, let alone real _grown up_ love.”

He didn’t even give her a chance to respond, he pushed past her.

Once outside the room, Ianto took a moment to collect himself before heading to Toshiko’s station, paying no attention to the eyes on him; watching Ianto from the shadows shaking his head.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto took a couple deep, calming breaths as he approached this world’s Toshiko’s station.

He had lost his control with this Gwen, and losing control was the last thing he wanted to do in this time and place.

But that control was just barely being held together by sheer will already; he felt utterly lost, and Gwen’s prodding was just the last straw, at least for now. It had been a quick fix to his fraying nerves, but it was just a quick release in a mounting pressure pot, and he knew sooner or later it would be too much.

He could only hope that the release would come when he was back home in the arms of his partner.

“I have more scans of the particles and energies I mentioned, but I’m afraid I don’t have any references to compare them to,” Tosh said as he stood just behind her shoulder.

“Let me take a look.”

She shifted slightly to give him a better view and handed him the keyboard to navigate through the data.

He quickly shifted through the available scans.

“Definitely void 'stuff,' to quote the ever eloquent Doctor.”

He noticed her slight grimace again, but thought better of asking, at least for the moment.

“Well, that at least confirms some of our suspicions, but it doesn’t tell us how it works. Let me see if I can get this side open, it has grooves like it might be an openable panel.”

Ianto watched for a few minutes as she worked with opening the side panel.

“So, how long have you and Kathy been involved?”

Tosh glanced back at him before resuming her work.

“Depends on if you count the time in the paradox or not.”

Ianto nodded in understanding.

“I see, that year did happen as well; and apparently, you remember. Does the rest of the team remember as well?”

“Except Gwen; Jack and Ianto decided it was best not to tell her, let her keep her innocence.”

Ianto nodded again; he understood the reasoning, he and his own partner had debated not telling his team about that year, but ultimately they had decided to tell Tosh and Owen.

“I can understand the sentiment, there are times that I wish I could scrub that year from my memory, unpleasant would be an understatement, but at least it ended with relatively few problems.”

He frowned as he thought of the ending; it was relatively problem free, even if the Doctor had proved he could be the most infuriating being in existence…and he lived with Jack Harkness, that was saying something.

However, he noticed Toshiko was mirroring his frown with a more severe one.

Had theirs ended differently? Ianto looked at that between-time, and was confused; it was indeed very similar to his, although the Doctor was a bit more…focused on his goal. That might be because his counterpart and the others had denied him what he wanted as opposed to Lucy Saxon just taking it away. Definitely not the Doctor’s best moment.

“I take it your ending was not what you hoped for?”

“Oh, it was insofar as it ended, but it wouldn’t have had to go that far if the Doctor hadn’t been so selfish and cared about the rest of us.”

“I see, that’s why you're angry, and don’t trust me.”

Tosh looked at him, surprised.

“I don’t think you’re here to do harm; but you're connected to _him_ and you don’t know what he _did_.”

“Oh, I have a fairly good idea; the Doctor is fairly consistent between the dimensions. He had some cockamamie plan that made no sense and didn’t really fix much and then wanted to take the Master with him to live in peace and love.”

Toshiko blinked at him.

“Well, yes, basically. If he had just stopped him to begin with the whole thing wouldn’t have happened, and then if he wasn’t an arsehole, who doesn’t care about anything but himself...How can you _not_ be mad at him?”

“Oh, I am, trust me, although not exactly for the reason you are, but he still is and always will be…family, for lack of a better description.”

Ianto paused, thinking for a moment, before continuing.

“I won’t tell you not to be angry, because he did mess up and hurt people, but you saw him in one fleeting moment in a nearly thousand-year existence; I don’t think it’s fair to judge him solely on those twenty minutes. Especially a timelord who literally reinvents himself throughout his life.”

Tosh looked at him, confused.

“What do you mean?”

“I won’t say he wasn’t unthinking or an arsehole at the time. But any being that has saved the Earth and the Universe as much as he has is not uncaring, or even wholly unthinking. Since the time war in particular his latest regenerations have had a problem with their zoom.”

“Zoom?”

“His Ninth regeneration was too focused on the big picture much of the time; ‘everyone lives,’ he said once, but neglected to notice that it was because someone took the bomb and would be blown up himself; he was too zoomed out. Now the Tenth regeneration, the one you dealt with during the year—he’s become too focused on the smaller parts of the picture in general. Oh, he still saves the world, but he’s focused on himself and the specific people; he’s too zoomed in.

“I haven’t and have no intention of dealing with Ten, however, I would hazard to guess that he didn’t want to be alone anymore. For all the Master’s insanity, he was a childhood friend to the Doctor, and his last link to his people. And he was so focused on having that connection back, maybe finding a way to make the Master not so insane, that much of what he would normally consider was forgotten.

“Feeling alone can cause an individual to do strange things…timelords are no different. Make no mistake, he has issues that last through all the regenerations, leaving Companions behind being one; but it’s not out of malice, he just doesn’t want them to leave _him_. I have every hope that one day he’ll realize that he has a lot of people who care about him, despite how he might have treated them. His next regeneration, from Jack’s one interaction with him, seems much better, more aware; he even apologized to my Jack for what he had done.”

“So if you’re not angry about that, why are you angry with him?”

“I’m more hurt by what was done to Jack that year; however, I understand why it was necessary, as does my Jack. And for all his plan didn’t actually accomplish anything, he did give Jack a suitable distraction so he could end the paradox, and as I said before, I understand to a point why he wanted to save the Master. What makes me mad is that after everything the Master did to her, he wanted to bring him on my Mother to live. Compound that with all the abuse my partner suffered just for him and his nonchalant attitude about it, that’s the root of my anger. But I won’t judge those actions on a future regeneration; and for all of this regeneration’s faults, he is still the Doctor, still the same being that has saved us time and again; but I can acknowledge that and still be angry with him.”

Tosh looked at him contemplatively.

“I haven’t really thought of it that way, and maybe there is truth there; but I’m not sure I care.”

Ianto was about to answer when he remembered something he saw earlier.

“And that’s perfectly fine and acceptable, I’d be more surprised if you weren’t. Ten is a bit of a bastard when it comes to not getting his way, and there's every possibility he could unfortunately do more to deserve that anger. But that’s not all he is, especially outside of this regeneration.”

At that moment, the panel popped open and both of them peered inside.

“There’s a set of dials, maybe like an address?” Tosh pondered.

“I’d say that’s reasonable, it’d make sense there’d be a way to set the destination, but might I request you not touch it, as I’d like to get home and not yet another alternate reality?”

“I wasn’t planning to, but it looks like it’s a moot point. The dials appear to be locked in place; maybe once it's activated it locks the location until the person it switched is back?”

“That sounds plausible, if untestable at the moment.”

Looking at the readings from the scanner, Ianto continued.

“It looks like it’s still active, so maybe the switch was designed with a return function—provided it’s still working.”

Tosh looked at the scans as well.

“I’m not seeing anything to tell us how to initiate the return, but everything seems to be centered around the button; perhaps pressing it again would activate the return switch.”

“Or it could deactivate the connection.”

“I’m not seeing anything that indicates a power down could happen; we might just have to take a chance.”

“Nothing ventured, I suppose.”

Slowly, Ianto reached out and pressed the button and …nothing.


	12. Chapter Twelve - Dragon Ianto

 

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

Lunch broke up, and Rhys headed back to work; he worked for Harwood’s in this world as well, and he said he enjoyed having a job that didn’t go from sheer boredom to adrenaline overload within seconds.  Ianto had laughed at that.  Torchwood wasn’t for everyone.

Although, knowing how well this version of Rhys was taking the weirdness of it all gave Ianto some food for thought, and he was determined to at least meet with his dimension’s Rhys at least once, to see for himself what sort of man he was.

Jack claimed to have a call to make to UNIT, and Owen headed back down to the autopsy bay, leaving the dragon with Toshiko.  He really hadn’t noticed much of a difference between his friend and this woman – aside from her being involved with Owen, of all people – and he was curious to get to know her a little better.

And so, with Jack in his office and Owen doing something that Ianto was fairly certain was some sort of video game, the dragon found himself at Toshiko’s workstation, where the piece of alien tech that had been responsible for him being there in the first place sat, looking very innocuous and not like it was some sort of dimension-jumper.

“I’ve been getting some strange readings from it,” she said as soon as Ianto had joined her, “like chronon particles, but different.”

“Could I see?”

Toshiko nodded, bringing up her readings on one of her terminals.  Ianto frowned; there was something familiar about the readings, but he couldn’t place it.   “I’ve seen those before…” he murmured, chewing on his thumbnail absently.

“Any idea where?” the technician asked curiously.   “That might give us a clue as to what they mean.”

Ianto was very proud of his memory; it wasn’t exactly eidetic, but he could remember more than most humans.  And what he was seeing was tickling his subconscious.  He shook his head.  “Maybe it will come to me if we move on.”

“All right.  And in the meantime I’ll plug the readings into mainframe and see what she comes up with.”  Toshiko picked up the box, careful not to come near the button on the top.  “As you can seem it’s really not much of anything.  I was thinking, if the device in your universe was the same as this one, then maybe they’re linked in some way.”

“That makes sense.”

“There are a couple of grooves on one side; I’m going to try to get it open.”  Suiting actions to words, Toshiko picked up a small tool and began to attempt to pry the side off.  “So,” she went on as she worked, “how did you meet your Jack?”

“It was on the side of a mountain,” Ianto answered, watching her competent fingers work.  “Jack was on the run after the deaths of the previous Torchwood team members at the hands of the then-leader.”

“Why was he running?”

“Because Yvonne Hartman thought he was responsible, despite the proof to the contrary,” he answered.  “She moved her own people in, and Jack had to leave Cardiff in a hurry.  He ended up in Ddraig Llyn…my home village.  He stayed in my inn for weeks before he actually met the dragon.”

Toshiko glanced up at him, frowning.  “You make it sound like you and the dragon are two different beings.”

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant.”  He smiled self-deprecatingly.  “But Jack didn’t have any idea that the Ianto Jones who served him coffee and made certain his room was cleaned was the dragon he found perched on the mountainside.”   Now this he remembered, as if it had happened yesterday…sensing Jack as he’d watched the dragon singing over the valley.

“And you actually ran an inn?” she asked incredulously.

Ianto nodded.  “I still own it actually.  Ddraig Llyn will always be my home.”

“And magic really exists on your world?”

“It does, but it’s fading more and more each year, as humans stop believing in it.  There are very few magical places left in my world; Ddraig Llyn is one, there’s Avalon, what is now called Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Izuma Taisha in Japan, the Five Great Mountains in China, Uluru in Australia…those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.  But only five hundred years ago there were many more.”   He couldn’t help but feel the loss of such power in his world, and he mourned it.

A hand touched his, and he found Toshiko looking at him sympathetically.  “I’m sure as long as you’re around, there’ll be one magical place left.”

He smiled at her.  “Very true.  I do admit, you’re very much like my Tosh, in that you’re accepting the idea of magic really well.  It took Jack forever to even think about considering it.  He kept quoting Clarke’s Law at me and denying that I was even the least big magic.  Something about ancient aliens coming to Earth and using genetic manipulation to create my people...”  He laughed.  “Honestly, I wanted to slap him at times.”

Toshiko’s eyebrows lowered in confusion.  “That doesn’t sound like the Jack I know…but then, I suppose he isn’t the Jack I know.  My Jack’s seen a lot, and accepts more weirdness than anyone I’d ever met.”

“I don’t know why,” Ianto shrugged.  “It’s just been the way Jack is.”  He grinned.  “I’ve been able to get him to come round to my point of view.”

Toshiko snorted.  “I’m sure you have.”  She went back to work on the device. 

“Although, I admit I was bad in the opposite regard at first.  I believed that Jack’s being unable to stay dead was magical in nature, since I could sense the energy that makes him that way.  It wasn’t until I went to Cardiff and felt the Rift for the first time that I realized that wasn’t the case.”

“You can sense the Rift energy?”  She looked very intrigued.

“Yes, I can even tell when we’re going to get an alert.”  He chose not to mention anything about the negative Rift spikes, not knowing if this Toshiko knew about them.  “The vortex energy that keeps Jack immortal is the same thing: time and space, filling a particular place…in Jack’s case, a particular person.  It’s like my brain itches around him.  And before you ask, no, it’s not uncomfortable at all.”

“The benefit being is that you get to keep track of your Jack easily,” she teased.

Ianto laughed.  “Yes, so I can at least attempt to head trouble off before he can walk into it!”

“Can you sense it in our Jack as well?”

“I can, but it’s different…I can’t explain, but it just doesn’t feel quite the same.”

“Harmonics between dimensions,” she answered blithely.  “Each dimension is slightly different, and therefore the basic operating systems of each are different as well.  Physical laws aren’t the same either, because here magic is defined as sleight of hand or illusion, and has no real basis in fact.”

“Don’t say that in front of David Copperfield,” Owen’s voice interrupted them.  Ianto turned, watching the medic come to stand just on the other side if Toshiko.

“David Copperfield?” he asked curiously.

“Famous magician,” Owen answered.  “He made the Statue of Liberty disappear.”

Ianto raised an eyebrow, and Toshiko snorted, going back to work on the device.  “Illusion,” she explained.  “It was easy to work out, really.”

Owen laughed.  “Yeah, take all the fun out of it, won’t you?”  He rested his arm on the back of Toshiko’s chair, standing well within her personal space.

The dragon still couldn’t quite fathom a relationship between Owen and Toshiko working, but it obviously was.  It surprised him, but he thought about what Jack had said about them both being damaged and how those damaged parts just seemed to fit.  He had to admit, the pair of them looked quite content.

“All right,” the technical genius said, her eyes staring into his, “what was that look for?”

“What look?” Ianto asked, confused.

“The one you just had, that said ‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing but it must be true’.”

He shook his head, one side of his mouth curling upward.  “All right, I admit that seeing the two of you in a happy relationship is just a bit…odd.  It took me off my guard.”

Owen frowned.  “We’re not together in your universe?”

“No, I’m afraid not.  Toshiko is with someone else, and you’re…well, you’re alone, but there’s someone you want to be with only it would be long distance.”

The two looked at each other, and there was that silent type of communication that happened between couples.  It was that that finally convinced Ianto that what he was seeing was true, that these two were indeed meant to be together, even if things were different in his own world. 

In a way, he felt almost cheated at seeing this with his own Owen and Toshiko.  Toshiko had had feelings for Owen, up until the affair with the telepathic pendant when she’d ‘overheard’ Owen’s thoughts concerning her.  It hadn’t helped that Owen and Gwen had been having an affair at the time; that should never have occurred, and as much as Ianto considered Owen a friend he had lost quite a bit of respect for him over that. 

Of course, Gwen hadn’t been a member of the team in this universe.  There had been no affair, and therefore Toshiko hadn’t had to be a witness to Owen’s condescension.  It seemed as if that was missing there, and Ianto was glad of it.  The last thing he wanted was to see any form of Toshiko Sato hurt. 

In this dimension, Owen and Toshiko seemed truly made for each other.

That didn’t mean that he couldn’t be glad that it hadn’t worked out for them on his own team, even if he’d missed all of the little ‘couple-y’ things between them.  Perhaps that would come later for them, if only with different partners.

“Ah ha,” Toshiko’s soft cry of triumph broke him from his thoughts.

The device lay open in her hands.  Ianto leaned over so he could see inside, and what he saw was a set of dials, with strange markings on them.  “What is that?” he asked softly.

“I’m not sure…” she prodded one of the dials gently with her tool.  “Maybe some sort of coordinate system?  That would make the most sense…and they’re locked, so I don’t think we have to worry about them changing anytime soon.”

“That’s good; I’d like to get home at some point.”

“Yeah, we’d like to get our Tea Boy back too,” Owen answered.  “A pining Jack Harkness makes us all miserable.”

“I heard that,” Jack said, his voice startling Ianto slightly.  The dragon had been so focused on the alien technology that he hadn’t sensed the immortal’s approach.  “And I’ll have you know I don’t _pine_.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

Jack pushed himself forward, in order to best see the inside of the device.  “Yeah, I have to agree on the coordinate setter theory,” he added.  “And, if it’s locked, maybe that means it can’t be changed until there’s a transfer back.”

“Makes sense,” Toshiko answered.  She picked up her scanner, taking readings from the now-open casing.  “I’m still getting those odd almost-chronon readings.”

“Can I see?” Jack asked.

Toshiko showed him the readout on the scanner.  “Those look familiar,” he mused.

Ianto nodded.  “That’s what I thought, as well.  I could swear I’ve seen those before somewhere, and not that long ago, either.”  He wanted to kick himself for not being able to pull the information up from his mind, hoping that it wouldn’t be important to getting him home.

“The device is still active, though,” Toshiko said. 

“Then why doesn’t Dragon Boy just push the button?” Owen suggested.  When everyone stared at him, he shrugged.  “Well, if the thing it still active, and the coordinate-things are still set…”

Ianto chuckled.  “It really would be that simple, wouldn’t it?”

“This is Torchwood,” Jack laughed.  “Of course it would be.”

“I knew there was a reason I tolerated you,” Toshiko teased, carefully sliding the cover back together.

“Oi!” Owen exclaimed.  “I also happen to be a tiger in the sack!”

“That’s a bit more information than I actually needed to know,” the dragon said primly. “Knowing your prowess in bed isn’t something I want to dwell on, in _any_ dimension.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“If he’s anything like my Ianto,” Jack leered, “then he has absolutely nothing to be jealous about.”  He draped a companionable arm around Ianto’s shoulders, and it was all the dragon could do not to lean into the touch. 

“I’m sorry Jack,” Ianto said, “but I’m afraid you’ll never know that.”

Jack pouted.  “And here I was, thinking that being the filling in an Ianto sandwich would be fun.”

“Jesus, Harkness!” Owen gagged.

Ianto laughed hard, he couldn’t help it.  He was beginning to realize that, despite everything, he would actually miss this team, even though they were much like his own.  He wanted to get back to his mate more than anything, but he would always remember this time, when he’d met friends that weren’t quite his friends, and a lover who wasn’t his mate.  It was something he would not forget.

“All right,” Toshiko said, handing the device to Ianto.  “If it was pushing the button that got you here, then let’s see if pushing it will get you back.”

The dragon took a deep breath, his heart beginning to race.  His gaze met those of this Torchwood team, and he nodded to each in turn.  “It’s been a pleasure meeting you all,” he said sincerely.  “And, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope I never meet any of you again.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” Owen snarked, even though there was a glint in the medic’s eye that said it had been an equal pleasure to meet the dragon.  “Now push the fucking button and let us get back to work.”

“I never did get to do those mass ratio tests,” Toshiko sighed, smiling softly.

“Safe trip home, Ianto Jones,” Jack added, standing back with his hands in his pockets, his eyes solemn.

Ianto took several steps away from the team, not wanting any of them to get caught up in the transport field.  With another deep breath, he firmly pushed the button.

Nothing happened.

Disappointment slammed into him hard, and he barely resisted the urge to throw the device across the Hub.  He swore in Latin and then used a Boeshane word that his mate had taught him, which had this Jack raising an eyebrow in a silent, ‘ _Oh_ _really?  I taught you that?_ ’

“Back to the drawing board,” Jack said aloud.  “Don’t worry, Ianto…we’ll figure it out.”

Ianto hung his head, wondering if he really would see his mate again.  He thought about the destiny that he and Jack supposedly had, and knew he had to have faith that they’d work something out –

“Wait,” Toshiko shouted.  “Don’t move, Ianto!”

He stared at her.  “What is it?”

“There’s a build-up of energy from the device,” she answered, checking the scanner she was holding.  “Perhaps it had to recharge before it could open the door between dimensions.”

The dragon wanted to point out to her that the original transfer had been instantaneous, but then he really didn’t know if it had.  He recalled hearing Jack shouting at Gwen, but how long –

And on that thought, the Hub vanished in a flash of light.


	13. Chapter Thirteen - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

Nothing.  
  
“Well, at least it appears to have had no effect on the connection, maybe the return trip needs to be initiated on the other side; one side starts it and the other ends the switch. I’ll run some more scans, and talk to the Earth Dragon.”  
  
“I…I just need to take a moment, get a cup of coffee.”  
  
Tosh waved him off, focused on the scanner.  
  
This world’s Jack had said to stay in the main Hub, but he had to get away. With that one press of a button his tightly wound control was unraveling by the second. Fortunately, he knew about a little side tunnel off Jack’s office…he just needed a few minutes.  
  
He was so alone; he was cut off from his partner, and gradually as he stayed here he was becoming aware that he was cut off from his Mother as well.  
  
He had never realized how connected he still was to Mother; like the umbilical cord had never been fully cut, and while there was an alternate version of Mother out there he wasn’t connected to that TARDIS as she wasn’t his Mother.  
  
No Jack, no Mother, and not sure he could get home, at least on this side, he leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor and started crying…sobbing.

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Jack saw the doppelganger of his mate leave Toshiko and go to a side tunnel near his office.

He frowned; he had told him not to leave the main Hub. Had he misjudged him?

Quietly he followed him.

When he reached the entrance, he stood in shock as he saw the alternate Ianto Jones sobbing into his hands.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto’s head jerked up as he felt a presence, Jack, sit down beside him. He hastily tried to turn his head so he could wipe away the tears.

He felt his partner's clone place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, I know you miss him.”

Ianto smiled sadly, that was so much of an understatement, and not even everything—it was almost funny.

“Oh, I do, but I also miss Mother…and then the realization that the return switch might not be able to be initiated on this side…it was just one thing too many.”

Ianto paused for a moment.

“Torchwood makes the impossible, possible, I know that as well as any Torchwood operative does; and with Toshiko Sato the impossible becomes more easily possible. But for me, I know how this is supposed to work, which under other circumstances would make it a challenge; but I’ve been far from prepared to deal with not only the loss of my partner from my mind, but also my Mother. I never realized she has never _not_ been there. It’s just been a stress to one degree or another since I’ve arrived.”

Jack nodded in understanding.

“I can’t even know what you’re going through with that, but I do understand about missing someone…what my Ianto and I have been through to get where we are now. But I will tell you this: I have it on pretty good authority that my Ianto and I have a destiny together, which means he has to be here in order to fulfill it. So I have absolute faith that he’ll be back…which means you’ll be back in your own dimension, too.”

At the mention of their shared destiny, it filled his mind, dragons flying through the universe and through this world’s Jack and Ianto; magic would return.

“Yes, yes, you do have a great destiny,” Ianto said with a smile. “And I suppose that’s a reassurance…even if it doesn’t fill the emptiness in my mind.”

“Let’s take this somewhere more private and more comfortable,” Jack said, rising and reaching his hand down to help Ianto up.

Ianto nodded, taking the offered hand.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto sat in the seat across from Jack’s desk and accepted the tumbler of scotch Jack offered him.

“I’m certain everything’s going to work out the way it’s supposed to. But, until we work things out, you’re welcome here. I know it’s not worth a lot, but you are.”

“It actually helps more than you can imagine…imagine being dropped where people have the faces of your loved ones…but they look at you with suspicion…at best.”

As Ianto finished he threw back the tumbler, downing the entire contents; he didn’t dare touch the time element Jack alluded to, because frankly, he wasn’t sure how long a bonded TARDIS could last after being cut off from its partner. It would do no good to mention it, it certainly couldn’t make them go faster and nothing could be done to alleviate any danger short of getting him to his partner.

Although, he _did_ fleetingly think about sharing this information...his habit of withholding information had already got him in trouble once today.

“We’re not suspicious, not anymore…well, there’s Gwen, but it’s her natural state where Ianto is concerned. You’re just another Rift refugee, and we’ll do our best by you.”

Ianto nodded in agreement.

“Go ahead…I know there are things you want to ask,” Ianto said.

“There are, but then you expected it,” Jack said as he motioned at Ianto’s glass for a refill, with a grin.

Ianto nodded holding out his glass.

“I can hold my alcohol, thank you.”

“That’s very much like your counterpart, although I have been known to get him drunk enough to sing in public.”

“My Jack has to spike the drink with more than alcohol to get me that far.”

Jack’s grin widened.

“Just so you understand…singing is very important to my Ianto. It’s like a physical imperative to sing, and a lot of dragon life is tied up in various songs…they have songs for everything from birth to death, and courtship, and mating…it’s crazy, the songs he knows.

“Anyway, it’s become my duty to get him drunk on Anniversary nights, and then make sure we get to a karaoke bar.

“Of course, he’s an amazing singer; Owen keeps saying he needs to get famous so Ianto can introduce him to his favorite actress du jour…I think this year it’s Keira Knightly, it changes constantly.

“It’s so much fun to get him up in front of a crowd, because Ianto embarrasses easily, but he always does it. This past year, Toshiko decided that Ianto and I needed to sing together—but then, she’s a hopeful romantic.

“So we went up on stage, and I still don’t know why he wouldn’t sing ‘Endless Love’ with me, just because we were in a pub full of drunken Welshmen…

“Especially when we ended up singing this really sappy love song to each other. To this day I think Ianto didn’t quite realize what he was getting himself into when he let me choose that song.

“And, when we were done, the looks on the team’s faces…oh lord, it was worth it. I thought Owen was going to vomit out of sheer sugar overload.

“Toshiko literally had stars in her eyes; I thought she was going to make some sort of fangirly noise.”

“Somehow, I believe your Gwen did not share the sentiment.”

Jack snorted.

“Well, she doesn’t get it. It’s the whole ‘pretending to be human’ thing, she doesn’t like secrets, especially when they’re kept from her. And no, she didn’t, but this was also the first time she really understood that Ianto and I were together. She couldn’t have missed it.”

Ianto thought of his brief encounter with the woman…somehow he thought it might be a bit more than “pretending to be human.”

Still, he snorted.

“If she’s was anything like the Gwen of my world she could still ignore it.”

“No, she’s not ignoring it now, but she doesn’t like it. And I don’t care. It’s not her life, it’s mine, and I’ll spend it with the person I want to.”

“And she would jump at the chance if you so much as winked and nodded at her.”

“Not going to happen. She has Rhys, even though I’m not convinced that’s a healthy relationship I’m not about to come between anyone. Besides, she doesn’t love me...she loves the image of me, the hero she sees when she looks at me. That’s not anything to build a relationship on.”

“I don’t deny that’s all true, doesn’t mean that it’s true to her, though; she seems like the type who, once she has something in mind, she doesn’t let it go…but I believe you had some questions…ones you didn’t want to ask in front of the team?”

“I know it’s personal, but I really wanted to know about your relationship with your Jack. It’s wonderful that me and Ianto seem to end up together a lot.”

“Together can be a bit relative, there are times where there isn’t much substance to the relationship, but in general, there is always an Ianto for a Jack.”

“I would guess it just depend on if they’re smart enough to realize it.”

“Or too broken to take a chance. What would you like to know about our relationship?”

“I suppose it all boils down to, are you happy?”

“Happy is too mild of a word, for the joy and fulfillment Jack continues to bring to my life,” Ianto replied with a wide grin.

Jack seemed to relax a bit.

“I’ve always been afraid after so long together we’d drive each other crazy, even if I do want to spend eternity with my Ianto.”

“Any couple will drive each other crazy, there is a reason for the term 'old married couple,' but despite that you become so much a unit that it’s like you’re a part of each other, being apart is like cutting off a limb.”

“I suppose spending eternity with someone is the ultimate way to show someone you love them.”

Ianto smiled at Jack; he didn’t know if it was indeed eternity for this Jack and Ianto, but for himself and his partner there would be an end…it was very _very_ far in the future, but an end nonetheless.

“A bit… though most variations of Jack and Ianto are likely to take breaks, eternity is a long time; however, for me and my Jack we’re a bit different.”

“How so?”

“I’m part TARDIS, and a TARDIS is rarely far from its partner. It’s just part of being a TARDIS and being bonded in that manner, bonded in ways many can’t understand.”

“My Ianto is like that in a way, he explained to me that dragons mate for eternity, and that they don’t go without a partner. Plus, he’s been alone for nearly a thousand years, so he’s craving that contact. I can’t even imagine that.”

Ianto nodded in agreement.

“I can’t imagine being without my Jack that long.”

“He’s been by himself for so long, it’s frightening how much I don’t want him to be alone anymore.”

Ianto smiled, despite how different they all were, there were still similarities.

“I feel the same about my Jack, actually.”

“I’ve gone from relationship to relationship, none of them lasting very long; it’s daunting to even think I could have forever with someone. And yet, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“If you are anything like my Jack, all of those relationships were haunted by the fact that you would have to leave and/or you would outlive the person.”

“You’re right. Everything’s been so…ephemeral, I guess. That’s the word my Ianto uses to describe being mortal. It really fits the situation; they fade away.”

Ianto looked at the wall; on the other side, this Jack’s team was busy trying to find a way to get their Ianto back.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, all things fade away, it is the cycle of things—a beginning, a middle, an end. But for some that cycle is at a different rate, or maybe even warped beyond what is natural. So people like us watch the people we love—teammates, family, everyone—fade away. Fade from everything but our hearts.”

“It’s almost like the team…they’re my family, but their lives are so short, especially working for Torchwood. And then there’s my own blood family…they’ll all be gone too soon. For a long time I didn’t want to get too close, because of their mortality, but now…that’s something else Ianto taught me: don’t be afraid to love, even the ones we’ll outlive.”

Ianto smiled sadly, thinking about his sister.

“My Jack has no blood relative in this era. However, we’ve always had my sister when she was still with us, at least; and we still have my niece and grand niece and their families. Of course, there have been our teams as well, but our current one is the first we have let in as much as this one. We handpicked them—found them at their lowest points and built them up to the agents they are today—and it feels more like we raised them than picked or hired them, Tosh and Owen in particular. Then there's the children: Rhys, Melissa—sorry, Alice—a few others, all children of Torchwood operatives, and a few others like Kathy that stumbled on us and just wouldn’t leave; and we know we can trust them, in some ways they are like Jack's and my children and we are very proud of them; especially Rhys.”

“Rhys?”

Ianto beamed.

“He’s grown up into a fine man, loyal, dependable. The first time we gave him an actual assignment was to monitor Gwen Cooper. But he’s always been ready to help if we needed another hand.”

“So much different between our two worlds, it seems.”

“Are you sure about that?” Ianto asked, examining his drink.

“In this world, Rhys doesn’t even know about Torchwood.”

“I know, however, that doesn’t mean he isn’t the same man, with all those same qualities, _despite_ what your Gwen seems to think.”

Ianto paused, thoughtfully taking a sip before continuing.

“Different experience will make us different, but at our core, no matter what has come before, some things are fundamental.”

“You do have a point. I’ve never looked beyond his background check.”

“And likely what Gwen has said about him, I’d imagine,” Ianto replied.

Ianto stared at his drink a moment longer.

“In fact, your Gwen, or rather more like your team, has given me some food for thought in regards to the Gwen Cooper of my world.”

“Oh?”

“She’s always been a nuisance, at least since she was 13. She was a witness to an alien situation, and because of her age we opted to not recon her; unfortunately, she decided Jack was her soulmate and proceeded to stalk him—and I think you have an idea, given she seems to have similar obsessive tendencies to yours. So we were forced to retcon her; but she has the damndest luck and manages to rediscover us frequently, she never breaks through the retcon. However, last year, she suffered a concussion shortly after watching us use the resurrection gauntlet. When she woke she seemed to have suffered some detailed hallucination that she was second in command of Torchwood and it was three years in the future. Combining the hallucination with her precognition, means some of those things seem to have happened to some degree. Now I wonder if she could have seen what was at least a part of a 'could-have-been' timeline; but even if that isn’t the case, or not entirely the case, seeing another Gwen Cooper gives one some food for thought. Both good and bad.”

“I think I’m glad our Gwen is just a regular human; I don’t think I could handle it if she was vaguely precognizant.”

“She’s not aware of it either, she has dreams of the future. She, however, seems to ignore or not remember any resemblance they have to events that happen after the fact.”

“Selective precognizance…even better. But I’m curious what you meant about the good and bad.”

Jack leaned back, his eyes still on Ianto.

“Good, she seems to be able to function fairly well in the team, at least to some degree; however, that’s not saying the one in my world would. Bad,” Ianto paused for a moment to consider his words. “She, from my observations, appears to be borderline xenophobic, along with similarities to the Gwen I’m familiar with in that she is bull-headed and convinced she’s right regardless of her lack of knowledge or understanding in a subject.”

“It’s not xenophobia really; unfortunately, I made a mistake when I trained her, and now it’s an uphill battle getting things right. And she doesn’t trust my Ianto, but it’s more because he wasn’t honest with her about being a dragon. I’m not making excuses for her, if that’s what you’re thinking…it’s just the way things are. And I admit she’s close-minded, but once again we’re working on that. I hope someday she’s able to open her mind to the possibilities, but we’ll see.”

Ianto wondered if this Jack realized, or rather would realize someday, how much he indeed was making excuses and was denying what was in front of him.

“I did say 'borderline,' and I could argue that to judge another based on their species, no matter the history behind that thinking, would still constitute xenophobia, however, I believe we might have to agree to disagree.”

“I can understand it might look that way to you, but then, you aren’t around her every day. But even my Ianto and I don’t always see eye-to-eye, so I can understand it.”

Ianto laughed.

“I would be concerned if you agreed all the time. If it’s any reassurance, I do hope you’re right and I’m wrong, because if I’m right I fear if she has to interact with any extraterrestrial allies. But you are the captain, after all.”

If this was his Jack, he would have pushed, because he knew he was right—in this, at least. But this wasn’t his world and it wasn’t his Jack and other than stating his opinions he had no right to try and persuade this Jack.

Instead, he raised his glass in silent salute to the captain.

Suddenly, Jack raised his hand to his comm.

“What is it, Toshiko?”

After a moment, Jack replied.

“We’ll be right there.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ianto followed his partner’s alternate as they made their way to Toshiko’s desk.

“It just started emitting a low-level energy and a beeping sound,” Tosh said as they approached.

“Any ideas?”

“None yet, unfortunately.”

Ianto walked closer to the tech, and suddenly he was once again enveloped in light.

He felt relieved he was going home, but at the same time, he was a bit sad he didn’t get to say goodbye.  
  



	14. Chapter Fourteen - Dragon Ianto

 

**_Nowhere and No Time_ **

****

When the white glare faded, Ianto found himself…well, he could only describe it as _nowhere_.  It was as if he were standing in a fog bank, but without the darker forms of shadows within the fog.  It was disconcerting, to say the least.

But was more disconcerting was the other _him_ standing in front of him, also looking around with interest.

“Well,” the dragon said dryly, “this is interesting.  You must be my counterpart.”

The other Ianto glanced in his direction, his eyes widening slightly.  “And you, mine.  A dragon…really?”

“And you’re part TARDIS.”

“Indeed,” the other answered.  “Both are rather rare possibilities.”

The dragon considered.  “That makes me wonder if there are any other Iantos out there that are as unique as we are.”

The TARDIS Ianto smiled knowingly.  “That seemed to be a popular question among your team.  The answer is some, but a good many are perfectly normal humans.”

Ianto wondered how he knew that, and asked.  The TARDIS Ianto chewed his lip, and then answered.

“My Mother is a TARDIS; that gives me an outlook on time that not a lot of people have.”  He seemed to consider his words.  “Time is open to me.  I can see all possibilities...at least some of the time.  For lack of a better description, it’s like having a vision; sometimes it’s what could be and in others what will be.  That also applies to the past.  I can see and experience the stories of people through their artefacts.  It’s something I enjoy, even if I can’t indulge it often.” 

Yes, that made sense. 

He looked around some more, but the fog was just as thick as it had been when he’d arrived.  “I don’t seem to remember this when we were switched in the first place.”

“Neither do I,” the other admitted.  “If I had to guess, I would say this was some sort of return switch, or a debrief area of some kind.  But this does appear to be outside the normal flow of time, moving at a much accelerated rate than what we would be experiencing in our home dimensions.”

The dragon wondered if he could feel that as the child of a TARDIS; there was a strange thrumming in the air, but it was different from what he could feel from the Rift, but with a certain tonal similarity.  “I do hope it is, because I’d hate to think of either of our teams getting more and more worried since we haven’t shown up yet.”

“Agreed,” his counterpart said.  “But it is, although I don’t have a way to measure the exact difference, and given the apparent purpose of the tech I’d say it’s feasible that it’s designed to appear instantaneous on the outside.”

“That’s good.”  The dragon paused, contemplating his doppelganger.  “You have a good team.”  He’d been impressed with the other Torchwood, even with the differences he hadn’t been used to. 

“Thank you, you do as well,” the TARDIS Ianto said.  Then he rolled his eyes.  “Where are my manners?  Mam would box my ears!  Pleased to meet you, Ianto Jones,” he said, extending his hand.  “I’m Ianto Jones.”

The dragon chuckled, taking the hand.  “It’s good to meet you as well, Ianto Jones.”  He felt a bit ridiculous introducing himself to himself, but good manners always won out, and his mother would have done the same.

They slipped into a rather uncomfortable silence for a few moments, and then TARDIS Ianto laughed.  “Well, this is a bit awkward!”

The dragon joined in.  “Just a bit, yeah.”

“It’s like one of those team-building exercises that corporate offices do in order to get their employees to work better together.”

“Not my team,” the dragon rolled his eyes.  “When we do team building, it usually has more to do with a lot of alcohol and karaoke.  It’s too bad we don’t have a machine here, or a pint…”

“Mine just goes to dinner and drinks…”

“Jack just likes to get me drunk so I’ll sing in public,” the dragon admitted.

“He did mention something about that,” TARDIS Ianto answered.  “I’m just thankful that my Jack has to work very hard to get me drunk.”

“Oh, of course he told you that,” the dragon sighed, acting put upon.  “That’s Jack…trying to embarrass me even when I’m not around.”

“To be fair, Jack was trying to cheer me up at the time.”  A shadow passed over the other Ianto’s face, but was gone before the dragon could ask about it.

“That does sound like something Jack would do.”  The dragon was glad that his mate had been able to help his look alike; he knew how he’d felt with things being different, so he could imagine that this Ianto would have been going through something similar. 

TARDIS Ianto fidgeted slightly, pressing his lips together before answering.  “I have this…connection, with Mother and Jack, and both of them had disappeared.  I was not handling that very well.”

The dragon nodded.  “I can understand that.   Your universe felt…different.  Not bad; just…not mine.   I can sense the energy of my Rift, and the energy that keeps Jack immortal, and it was just slightly off from what I’m used to.  Toshiko called it harmonic dissonance.”

“That makes sense to me.  Energies between dimensions would be somewhat different.  And it looks like you and I have something in common: a sensitivity to temporal energy.”  He smiled.  “Tosh was completely correct in calling it that.  But it’s fascinating that you can sense Jack’s presence.   At least he can’t sneak up on you in the Archives for an afternoon quickie.”

“That’s half the fun!” he laughed.

“But of course!  At least my Jack does enjoy surprising me, just as much as I enjoy it.”

That seemed to break the ice a little, and the dragon felt himself relaxing a bit.  Yes, it was still strange to be talking to himself, but at least it was a tad more comfortable.

“If I had known we could slip back so easily instead of worrying about making it home,” the other went on, “I would have taken more of an opportunity to enjoy the experience of seeing another possibility first-hand.”

“You may have,” the dragon answered, “but I’m ready to go home.”

 “I can understand that,” TARDIS Ianto said.  “I’ll be glad to get back to where I don’t have to deal with Gwen on a regular basis.”

The dragon cringed slightly.  “Oh dear…was she bad?”

“To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t let her anywhere near an extraterrestrial ambassador.  She didn’t seem at all sympathetic to my plight.”

“That sounds like Gwen,” the dragon sighed.  “And she doesn’t like me anyway, so I can imagine that she wasn’t on her best behaviour.”  He could have hoped that Gwen would have been at least a bit nicer to his counterpart than she was with him.  “I accidentally injured her pride when I didn’t tell her right away that I was a dragon.  She has a thing about keeping secrets…as long as they aren’t being kept from her.  It’s getting a bit better, but I do apologize for her attitude.”

“Her attitude isn’t your fault.  And I would hate to have your team have to do intergalactic clean-up because of something she said or did.  But, despite all that she’s given me some food for thought…or rather her existence at least.”

He didn’t say that, if it had been his choice, Gwen would never have been in Torchwood in the first place.   Instead, he was about to change the subject when his counterpart did it for him.  “I do hope your reveal was less traumatic than mine.”

“I simply changed form in front of them,” the dragon said, grinning.  “Toshiko never did get the chance to work out the mass ratios like she’d wanted to.”  TARDIS Ianto chuckled at that.  “I take it my team discovered you before you could inform them?”

“Unfortunately,” the other said dryly.  “It isn’t pleasant to have your team’s doppelgangers pointing guns at you in a threatening manner.”

“No, it wouldn’t be.  I would assume they found out through the Hub’s internal sensors?”  It was good to know they were working as they should, and that his Toshiko had obviously caught on to the physical differences – whatever they were – between the two Iantos.

“From what Owen said, that sounds right.  Unfortunately they realised it before I could tell your Jack.”

“We had someone impersonate Jack to get into the Hub,” the dragon explained.  “We’ve been security conscious ever since.”

“Well, that certainly explains the zealous gun-waving.”

“I would apologize for it, but I’m quite proud of them, to be honest.  It means they won’t have to get any extra training when I get back.”

“No need for that,” TARDIS Ianto waved it away.  “They were on their toes, which is a good thing.”  He looked at the dragon closely.  “Although I would have enjoyed spending more time in…I suppose you called it your hoard room?”

The dragon nodded.  “It’s part of dragon culture to have one.  In fact, I have three, but the largest is in the Hub, since it’s more secure.”

“Then the legends on my world seem to have got something right, then.  But I do wish I’d had more time to spend in it.  The entire room was permeated with so much history!  I only had time to experience one moment in time, and that was from the totems you have.  It was a wonderful scene, and I would love to have seen more of it.  In fact, it was what told me you were a dragon.”

The dragon wondered what it was like to be able to touch history like that; to be able to see things that had long since passed into memory.   He couldn’t help but smile softly.  “That would have been my sister’s mating posts.  They were carved by my father and myself, and I kept them after my sister and my family were murdered.  He sighed.  “And you would be right about the history; most of my hoard is very old.  A large part of it came from offerings back during the time I was actually being worshipped.  I don’t recommend that to anyone, it’s far too embarrassing a situation to find oneself in.”

TARDIS Ianto laughed lightly.  “Oh, if only all those who find themselves thought of as deities felt that way!”  Then he sobered.  “I’m sorry for your loss.  I still miss my sister as well.  I always knew I’d outlive her and my family, but I also knew there would always be Jack, even if we never got together as lovers. ”

“And I of yours,” the dragon replied, nodding his head.  “That is the curse of outliving all the ones you love…except for Jack, of course.”

“Very much so, and you’ve lived longer than I have.  But at least I’ve always known Jack would be a part of my life.  I imagine you never thought you’d be the last of your kind.”

The dragon felt the familiar pain in his chest at that.  “No, you’re right.  I never would have believed that humans would have hunted down dragon-kind and destroyed them, especially since I’d had a vision since I was a child of meeting my future mate, a blue-gray dragon.  You can imagine my despair at ever meeting him then.”  He paused.  “It took my Tosh to tell me that my dream was allegorical and that the dragon I was seeing was the exact same colour as Jack’s greatcoat, so I was actually seeing him and not a real dragon.  I simply had no idea that he had an ephemeral form, and not a dragon one.”

TARDIS Ianto had a strangely glazed look in his eyes, as if he were seeing something within his own head.  The look vanished quickly, and he said, “That must have been a bit of a shock to realise he was the dragon you were dreaming of.”

He wondered if that was truly what his counterpart had meant to say, but answered the spoken question.  “It was, but a pleasant one.”  He looked at the other being.  “And you…what of your Jack?  I read your journals – and I apologize for the invasion of privacy, by the way.”

The other shrugged.  “It’s fine; after all, I ‘read’ the posts in your hoard.  For as long as I can remember Mother would always tell me about Jack.  I knew one day I would find him.  If anything else Mother had intended for him to be told what had happened, but I think she secretly hoped that we would be more; that we would bond.”  He smiled faintly.  “When I realised that I had bonded with him, I didn’t know how to tell him.  I had no doubt that, when we were together, that I was the only one; but he could be so distant sometimes.  It wasn’t until after I’d told him that I realised that he was scared I would leave him to travel the universe, leaving him alone once more.”

“So we were both destined for our Jacks.” 

“You could say that,” TARDIS Ianto answered, “but there will always be a Ianto for Jack.”

“That makes me feel better, knowing there is.”  It did; he felt light, as if a weight he didn’t know existed had been lifted from his heart.  Knowing that there would always be someone for Jack, that there would be a Ianto for him, even if it was for a short time…it wasn’t fair, that his mate had to be alone.  He didn’t deserve it.  Humans weren’t meant to live for eternity, and he didn’t want Jack to be out there, somewhere, driven mad by his losses.  He was very glad to have met this Ianto, who could reassure him that Jack could be happy in other dimensions as well.

“It is reassuring that Jack will always have someone to love him as much as we do.”

“You’re right,” the dragon agreed.  “Jack deserves happiness, after everything he’s been through.”

“You’ll get no argument from me on that,” the other answered. 

“I am glad to have met you, Mr. Jones.”

TARDIS Ianto smiled, his eyes crinkling up at the corners.  “As am I, Mr. Jones.  I get the feeling that, if we had more time together, we could have been great friends.”

“You know, so do I.”

There was a strange glow, and Ianto looked behind his counterpart.  A portal had appeared, breaking through the fog like the rising sun. 

“I believe that’s our cue,” TARDIS Ianto said, his own gaze looking beyond the dragon.

“I believe you’re right.”  The dragon stepped forward, until he was standing right beside his counterpart.   “Be well, and be happy.”

“You as well.”  The other moved past.

The dragon had just reached his portal when the TARDIS Ianto called out to him.  He turned to see the other also at his portal, staring back at the dragon.  “One day your stars will dance to the magic of ancient songs.”  His gaze softened, and he smiled.  “It was a pleasure.  Please tell your team goodbye for me, and it was good to meet them.”  With that, he stepped through.

The dragon wondered at those parting words, but he followed suit, and white light flared around him once more, taking him home.


	15. Epilogue - TARDIS Ianto

 

 

Ianto was bathed in blinding light once again, and even though he had stepped through the doorway, he felt himself standing still while at the same time, moving.  
  
Much like the first time.  
  
Except this time, when he opened his eyes, he was _home_.  
  
He didn’t even need to look; the emptiness that had resided in his head during this whole ordeal was gone, filled with his Mother and Jack.  
  
“Ianto?” Jack asked hesitantly.  
  
Ianto didn’t even bother answering; he just launched himself at Jack, holding onto his partner as if at any moment he could be ripped away again. As he touched Jack, he felt the knot of tightness in his chest ease.  
  
“I’m back, love,” Ianto said before he brought their lips together.  
  
After several minutes they separated—or rather, just quit kissing, as they were still glued together in an embrace—Ianto tucking his face into Jack’s neck, Jack’s hand coming up to cradle the crown of his head.  
  
“Glad to have you back, Tea Boy. Harkness, could you release him long enough for me to examine our dimension-hopper here?”  
  
Ianto pulled Jack tighter as he felt Jack start to loosen his grip.  
  
Owen let out an exasperated sigh.  
  
“Or he can come with us while I examine you and _then_ you two can go off and do whatever it is you do when you're alone and I don't want to know about.”  
  
Tosh giggled and Jack looked up at her.  
  
“Tosh, continue scanning the device; I want to know everything about it, so we aren’t caught unawares by it again. And make sure to mark it as active,” Jack said, Ianto taking half a step away so that they could start to make their way to the medical area.  
  
“I’ll get right on it, Jack,” she said before turning to Ianto. “I’m glad we were able to get you back so easily.”  
  
She made her way over to them, squeezed between the two men, and hugged Ianto, before turning back to the device.  
  
“This way, gentlemen, and be quick about it; I don’t have all day, you know,” Owen said, motioning the pair to follow him.

 

  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

After Owen’s exam, Ianto listened in a daze, still tucked into Jack’s side, as his partner directed their team in a last few instructions for the night.

It seemed he blinked and then they were in the elevator on the way up to their flat. He did not even remember leaving the Hub.

He felt drained and…disconnected.

It was with tired surprise that he felt Jack sitting them on their couch. Jack knelt in front of him, hands on either side of his face, gently caressing him with his thumbs.

“I’ll just grab some food from the kitchen, it’s about dinner time after all, and I’m sure you missed your mid-afternoon meal.”

Ianto just blinked at him.

“Hey, you alright?”

Ianto closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to center himself.

“I just feel drained, and a bit disconcerted. It was stressful finding myself so alone, not connected to you or Mother, and unsure how or how long it would take to get home, knowing that the longer it took the more at risk I was in by not being connected to my partner. Finally being home and reconnected—it’s like all that just drained out of me, leaving me tired. But having those connections cut, then reestablished, and going between universes unexpectedly...I just feel a bit like the world just spun in the other direction and I wasn’t prepared. I’m sorry I’ve been so…clingy, it’s a bit like being given unlimited water after being in the desert; you just want to drink forever; or rather in this case hold on. I just need you, some food, rest, and you.”

Ianto paused before adding. “Sex after the resting part, though.”

Jack laughed and leaned up, bringing their foreheads together.

“I think I can take care of that, and tomorrow you can debrief.”

Jack brought their lips together. They stayed like that for a moment, soaking each other up, before Jack pulled away to go grab some food.


	16. Epilogue - Dragon Ianto

 

 

**_28 June 2008_ **

****

The whiteness vanished, and Ianto found himself in the familiar surroundings of the Hub.

But was it _his_ Hub?

The dragon’s doubt didn’t last as he felt the tingle of the Rift around him; it wasn’t the slightly off sensation from the alternate dimension, but the pure tingle of his home. 

And the arms that wrapped around him were accompanied by the soothing scratch at the back of his mind that only his Jack could have.

He put his own arms around his mate, burying his face in Jack’s neck, reveling in the closeness.  He’d missed this…oh, how he’d missed this. 

“Welcome back,” Jack whispered against his temple.  Then he pulled away, a frown marring his features.  “You _are_ my Ianto, aren’t you?”

Ianto let his eyes fade into their dragon aspect.  “What do you think?”

The smile that graced Jack’s face threatened the stability of his ears.  He pulled Ianto forward, crashing his lips against the dragon’s and Ianto couldn’t help the moan that escaped him.  It wasn’t by far a perfect kiss, but it reconnected them in ways that Ianto couldn’t begin to explain.

“Lips off the Dragon Boy, Harkness,” Owen’s voice brought Ianto’s attention back to the outside world.  “We know you’re happy to see him, but I wanna check him over and make sure he’s okay from his jaunt to another dimension.  You wouldn’t want anything important to fall off or something?  Like his coffee-making fingers?”

Ianto pulled back and offered the medic a sardonic grin.  “Yes, because gods and goddesses forbid you not get your coffee.”

“Absolutely.  Now, into my office ASAP.”  With those parting words, Owen headed down into the autopsy bay, as if fully expecting Ianto to follow.

With a sigh, the dragon stepped out of Jack’s arms.  “I’d better go and get this over with.  Then we can get to the debriefing…and then go home.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jack agreed.  He waved the dragon on.  “Go on then, before I lose my will to watch you walk away.”

Ianto turned, but didn’t get very far when he found himself in another fierce hug, this one given by Toshiko.  “You’re not allowed to go dimension hopping ever again,” she murmured into his chest as he returned the embrace.

“I’ll try not to,” he promised as he returned her embrace, not commenting that it hadn’t been his fault this time.

That honour was reserved for the last member of the team, who was standing off from the others, her arms crossed over her chest and looking as if she’d swallowed something sour.  The dragon wondered if she realized just how isolated she was from everyone else, but refused to feel bad for her.  This was what Gwen had chosen, and it would be up to her to get closer to the people she had to trust her life to.

“I should let Owen poke and prod me,” he laughed, letting go of his friend.  “You know he’s never happier when he’s pretending to be a doctor.”

“Oi, I heard that!” Owen’s voice shouted up from the autopsy bay.  “Get your arse down here, Dragon Boy, or I’m gonna quarantine you to the Hub tonight!’  Then see if Harkness gets any!”

Ianto made his way to the steps going down into the recessed bay.  “And you don’t think you’re punishing just Jack in that?” he asked, removing his jacket in preparation for the exam he knew Owen would put him through.

“You’re right,” the medic declared, messing with his instruments.  “A deprived Harkness isn’t anyone I want to work with.  Hop up, Ianto, and let’s get this over with.”

Ianto did so, inwardly glad to be back but giving Owen a look of disdain.

 

**********

 

They met in the boardroom over coffees, and Ianto gave them a report on what had happened in the alternate dimension he’d found himself in.  He left some things out, mostly to do with Gwen and Rhys, since he had no idea just how much detail the TARDIS Ianto had gone into, and he didn’t want to get Gwen started on a rant about what Ianto had heard about her double.

It was amazing knowing that he’d travelled to another place where there were counterparts to the people he cared about.  It had been the same, and yet so very different, and while he was glad to be back he could see TARDIS Ianto’s point about discovering more about the changes from what Ianto knew.  

A part of him was going to miss that other team, but he was truly happy to be home.  The Rift – his Rift, not the vaguely discordant one that he’d been sensing for hours – thrummed against his skin like a gentle rain, and he wanted nothing more than to bask in it for a while.  Also, the familiar sensation of the vortex within Jack tickled and scratched at the back of his mind, and Ianto couldn’t help but feel relieved that the technology had been able to get him back to where he belonged.

“And my doppelganger says goodbye,” he finished.  “I don’t think he got the chance.”

“It’s fantastic knowing that there are so many various permutations of ourselves spread across the dimensions,” Jack mused once Ianto was done.  He took a sip of the coffee Ianto had made before the meeting had started, smiling softly afterward. 

“I’d really like to study that transporter,” Toshiko said.  “Whatever race had created it must have been able to contact their doppelgangers across the dimensional field, to have been able to make such switches like that.”

“I don’t know,” Ianto answered.  “The walls between dimensions were shut for a reason.  I’d hate to be the ones to accidentally tear them down again.”

“Ianto’s right,” Jack said.  “We don’t know if travelling between dimensions could do damage.  There’s only one Time Lord out there now to clean up the mess and I honestly have no desire to call the Doctor for any reason whatsoever.”

Ianto could certainly understand that, and judging from the expressions on Toshiko’s and Owen’s faces, they were remembering what the dragon was, about the Year of the Toclafane and how the Doctor had chosen the Master over the Earth.

“But he’s the one you left us for,” Gwen argued.  “Why wouldn’t you want to call him?”

Jack sighed.  “Because he and I didn’t part on good terms and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject, so don’t even think about asking.”

Gwen didn’t look happy, but she didn’t pursue it, for which Ianto was very grateful.  He wasn’t in the mood to listen to one of her lectures about keeping secrets again.

“Toshiko,” Jack ordered, “I want that box locked in the Secure Archives.  Maybe someday we can take it out and study it again, but for now I just don’t want to risk losing anyone else to another dimension.”

The technician nodded, although she looked disappointed.

Jack turned to Owen.  “And how’s Ianto?”

“Same old Dragon Boy,” Owen answered.  “Going to another dimension didn’t do anything to him, and he didn’t carry anything hazardous back with him.”

Jack looked relieved at that.  “Good, thank you.”  His eyes fell on Gwen.  “We didn’t get a chance to discuss what you did wrong on the retrieval today, but Gwen…you know better than to pick up alien technology bare-handed, let alone pushing any buttons.  Didn’t the ghost machine teach you anything about what could happen when you do something like that?”

“I wasn’t the only one to use the ghost machine,” Gwen retorted.

“Yes, but Owen realised he’d made a mistake and owned up to it.”

“Too right,” the medic shivered.  “I still have the occasional nightmare about poor Lizzie.”

“Gwen,” Ianto said, “you’ve been with Torchwood for a little over nine months now.  You have the makings of an excellent field agent, if you could only curtail your reckless behaviour.  We all screw up, but we need to be aware that, when we do, there could be dire consequences.  You don’t seem to have come to that realization yet.”

“But it turned out all right in the end,” Gwen argued.  “No one was hurt.”

“What about the next time?” Jack asked.  “What about the next piece of alien tech we get through here that’s not relatively benign?  Will we lose all of Cardiff?  You need to be careful when you start poking around unknown devices.”

“I certainly don’t want to be on the wrong end of any more button-pushing,” Owen snarked.  “God knows what might come out of the next weird piece of shit…it could be your double, and then we’d have to deal with two Gwen Coopers around here.  That would be the apocalypse.”

Gwen went red in the face, and Ianto had to hide his laughter behind a cough.  He remembered what the other team had said about their version of Gwen Cooper, and was glad he hadn’t met her.

“Owen,” Jack called him down. 

Owen held up his hands in surrender.  “Just saying, Jack…”

“Well, don’t.”  Jack straightened up in his chair.  “Ianto has a point, Gwen; you’ve been here nearly a year, and you don’t have even this basic safety rule ingrained yet.  It took Ianto and I two weeks to train up Toshiko before she was ready for basic field work, and with Owen it took a month.  It’s not that difficult to understand.”

“Well, I’m not Toshiko or Owen!”

“That’s patently true.  But Gwen, we can’t keep holding your hand.  From the reports Ianto made while I was gone, it seemed as if you’d finally come into your own.  He’d certified you as a field agent and had actually praised your work.  But I’m not seeing that Gwen here.  It’s like you’ve backslid ever since I returned, and it needs to stop, or else I’ll have no choice but to put you on permanent Hub duty.”

“You can’t!” Gwen exclaimed hotly.  “You need me!”

“You keep assuming that,” Jack snorted.  “I may have thought that in the beginning, but that’s certainly changed in the time you’ve come to work here and I’ve had a chance to see you in action.  Trust me Gwen…you’re not above anyone else on this team.  If it had been Toshiko or Owen making the same mistakes over and over again, and not paying attention to the lessons we’ve been trying to teach you, I would be doing the exact same thing.”

“I see you didn’t mention Ianto in there,” the ex-copper snapped.

Jack rolled his eyes.  “Of course I didn’t, because Ianto helped me come up with the very procedures you’re supposed to be following.”

Gwen opened her mouth to reply, but Ianto suddenly knew exactly what she was going to bring up and cut her off.  “As I said, we all make mistakes, even me.  No one is above the rules here…not me, and not Jack.  When I do mess up, I accept the consequences, just as Jack, Toshiko, and Owen do.  You need to learn the same thing.”

Jack put a hand up to forestall any further argument.  “I hadn’t intended to get into a slinging match over this, and I’m going to stop it now.  Gwen, we’ll continue to monitor your progress, but if I don’t see you back up to the level that Ianto’s reports have you at, then you will be confined to the Hub during missions.  I know I usually do reprimands in private, but I wanted the others to witness this as well, so they also know what’s going on, to avoid any confusion.  Because it won’t just be me and Ianto watching…it will be Toshiko and Owen too, mainly because I don’t want any sort of ‘he-said, she-said’ going on.  I don’t want to demote you, but I will if you do anything like that again.  Do we understand each other?”

Gwen nodded, and Ianto could tell just how furious she was by the clenching in her teeth.

“Now,” Jack went on, “it’s been a long day, and I know we’d all like to relax a bit.  Let’s shut this place down and take the night off.”

Ianto read between the lines of that, _‘I want to get my mate home and make certain he’s really here.’_  

The dragon was perfectly fine with that.  He wanted nothing more than to spend time with his mate, and reaffirm that this was his Jack.  He _needed_ to make sure he was truly home, even though the familiarity of the surroundings and of his connection to Jack made that certain.

He was back where he belonged.

 

 

_Fin_


End file.
